ITV

Tag: IPL

  • KXIP’s gets aggressive on sponsorship front

    MUMBAI: It‘s hoping to pocket a king‘s ransom this year. IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab is eyeing 30 per cent growth from team sponsorship, buoyed by the encouraging response it has got from advertisers.

    The franchise co-promoted by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, Dabur’s Mohit Burman, Wadia Group’s Ness Wadia and Apeejay Surendra Group’s Karan Paul has roped in 14 brands as partners. That‘s way up from the 11 it had last year.

    KXIP has signed NVD Solar as title partner for three years till 2015 to replace direct-to-home (DTH) operator Videocon d2h had taken the lead sponsor status for last year‘s IPL.

    “We will manage a 30 per cent revenue growth in terms of sponsorship this year. Almost 65 per cent of our local revenue comes from sponsorship. We were not happy with revenues we managed last year. We felt that there was scope for improvement,” KXIP COO Col. Arvinder Singh.

    The franchise has got eight new partners this year in addition to the six existing partners which have renewed sponsorship deals.

    Apart from NVD Solar, those who have signed on the dotted line with the KXIP team include Lux Cozi as Official Comfort Partner, ACC, Arise Inverters and Batteries, Raindrops Basmati, USL and McDowell’s no. 1 as Official Team Partners.

    Kingfisher as the Official Good Times Partner, Pavilion Sport as Official Licensing and Merchandising Partner, Noida University as the Official University Partner, Mountain Dew as the Official Beverage Partner, Meshi Creations as the Official Entertainment Partner, 92.7 Big FM as the Official Radio Partner, Kabirz as Official Food Partner and TK Sports as Sportswear Partner are others who have decided walk hand in hand with the KXIP team during IPL6.

    Singh also stated that the franchise dealt directly with sponsors this year rather than going through agencies. KXIP reached out to almost 60 advertisers for team sponsorship.

    “So we created a team that approached companies which made a big difference. Half of the deals done were managed by directly talking to them. Last year we had 11partners while this time we have 14 partners with two partners taking two spots each. Some deals took three weeks to close this year while others took a couple of months. Some deals are for a year while others are for three years,” he stated.

    Singh adds that it is a question of sitting down with clients and understanding their business objectives. “We have to match their objectives with our marketing parameters. We see if there is synergy in what we are doing and if a tie up is mutually beneficial. Different companies have different goals some want visibility, others want activation while some want to use our platform for better fan engagement.”

    Singh explained that NVD Solar came on-board as title partner as the company since it is expanding its operations to North India. “They will launch products using the franchises players as a platform. On the other hand, Lux Cozi does activation with their wholesale and retail people. They run gratification contests where people can see matches,” he added.

    NVD Solar managing director Saibal Hazra was extremely gung-ho about the assoction. He said: ” KXI is one of the most dynamic IPL teams. We wish them all the luck for the upcoming tournament and hope this association can reap benefits for both the parties.”

    The franchise has meanwhile gone ahead and launched a loyalty programme to strengthen its bond with supporters. Other initiatives like launching a mobile application, a live in-app FanWall and an initiative with the Punjab Police to support women empowerment have also been instituted to engage with fans and contribute to the society.

    Clearly, Kings XI Punjab has got its act together on the partner front. Let‘s wait and watch if it will match that performance on the field too.

  • ‘We are not in talks with anybody to sell stake’ : Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer

    ‘We are not in talks with anybody to sell stake’ : Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer

    Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals has had a topsy-turvy journey in the last five years. It had a dream start when it won the inaugural IPL trophy under Shane Warne. Another high point in its five-year journey was when British-born businessman and actress Shilpa Shetty‘s husband Raj Kundra bought 11.7 per cent stake for $16.8 million, valuing the franchise at $140 million.

     

    Just when everything was going hunky dory, the BCCI threw a bombshell by terminating its franchise contract with Rajasthan Royals for breach of agreement. That was followed by a prolonged legal battle that ended in the courts reinstating the franchise in the IPL. That‘s not the end of it. The company‘s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) was rejected by FIPB several times. Besides, it was under the scanner of government agencies for alleged Fema violations.

     

    However, Rajasthan Royals has put all that behind it and is now focused on building a strong sporting franchisee. Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer believes that the best way to do this is by playing its own brand of cricket so that a fan loyalty is built over the years.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Iyer talks about the challenges that IPL franchises face and how Rajasthan Royals can grow to the next level.

     

    Excerpts:

    Q. The Rajasthan Royals franchise was bought for $67 million in 2008. What would be its estimated worth today?

    A. I don’t know what it would be valued at. But there are figures varying from $150-200 million.

    Q. Are the promoters considering selling stake?

    A. There are no talks with anybody at this stage. We are focused on delivering a very good product.

    Q. There have been allegations about lack of adequate corporate governance and transparency. Do you feel there is scope for improvement?

    A. If you are asking whether we lack in corporate governance, I would completely disagree. I would say that we were probably the only guys who went out and voluntarily made disclosures, including when we applied to the FIPB. Corporate governance is top priority for us and we would like to believe that we have ticked that in the box.

     

    There might have been some procedural misses here and there, which happens in any business. This is something that we want to address. When income tax and other government authorities ask questions, then you realise that you might have missed a couple of things here and there. We are being advised by top professionals.

    Q. Is it fair to say that the BCCI would not have terminated the franchise had there been more transparency?

    A. I would like to believe that we were transparent and so were the BCCI. The reason that the whole thing came up was something I don’t want to comment on as it is subjudice.
    ‘There will be some revenue growth this year but not exponential. Though more brands are coming in for sponsorship opportunities, their outlay is not as high as expected‘

    Q. The enforcement directorate has slapped a Rs 1 billion fine on the franchise. Have you appealed against this decision?

    A. Yes! We have appealed to a tribunal in Delhi.

    Q. What is the gameplan to grow the franchise’s brand value going forward?

    A. You have to focus on the product to grow the brand value. The quality of cricket the team plays is your product. We have won only three or four less games than the Chennai SuperKings.

     

    As long as you keep playing cricket well, the brand value will take care of itself. Obviously you add to that different things like licensing and merchandising.

    Q. What sort of revenue growth you expect this year?

    A. There will be some growth but not exponential. This will be impacted by the slowdown. The key is to go out and look for far more opportunities and not wait for them to knock on your door. You also need to be astute in terms of how you spend. That is what the franchises are trying to do.

    Q. What impact is the economic slowdown going to have in terms of revenue generation for the IPL?

    A. I would be lying if I said that it has not had an impact. There are more brands coming in for sponsorship opportunities. We have 15 sponsors and partners, including local brands like the State Bank of Jaipur and Bikaner. But the outlay the sponsors are putting in is not as high as expected. Earlier if a deal with a sponsor was worth say Rs 150 million, will he renew it for Rs 200 million? Probably not! But then you will get five smaller local guys who are each willing to pay Rs 10 million. So you will have to look at playing the volume game.

    Q. Is the situation as bad as 2009 when revenue fell by over 10 per cent for franchises?

    A. No! 2009 was a different situation. There was a complete global crisis going on. Currently that is not the case.

    Q. Who are the sponsors that are on board?

    A. We have prided ourselves on having a team that delivers value to sponsors. The only way that you can judge whether that is true or not is to see if sponsors keep coming back. The top notch brands have kept coming back like Ultratech (which remains the lead sponsor), Supertek, Garnier, Valvoline and Tata Consultancy Services.

     

    We ensure that what sponsors and partners want out of the IPL are met. We play our part in that whole thing. We have a fantastic client servicing team that ensures that this happens. We offer innovative products like investing in digital content. You have to give sponsors more value.

    Q. Could you talk about the YouTube initiative?

    A. The YouTube channel of ours has clips and behind the scenes stuff that cricketers do. Fans find this exciting. Is there a way in which sponsors can tap into that and do something innovative? Yes! Everybody acknowledges that digital will grow and be the medium of the future. Digital allows you to do different things in a cost effective manner.

    Q. What are the licensing and merchandising efforts made this year?

    A. Besides flags, T-shirts and bells and whistles, we are looking at an innovative merchandising option. This is about grassroots Rajasthan. Licensing and merchandising is a long term play. It takes four to five years and will depend on making sure that there is year round visibility for the franchise. Once that happens, licensing and merchandising will take off.

    Q. In terms of marketing, there doesn‘t seem to be much activity till two weeks before the IPL starts. Is two weeks enough of a time frame to generate fan interest?

    A. As a call to action, two to three weeks is enough. People know about the IPL already.

     

    We also look at innovative opportunities that come our way. Earlier this year we associated with the Jaipur Literary Festival and organised matches there. When important events happen in your city, you need to find a way to participate in them. But for focused marketing, two to three weeks of activity is enough.

    Q. Reports indicate that the IPL franchises are increasing ticket prices. Isn‘t this tricky given the economic slowdown?

    A. We haven’t increased the basic ticket prices. The hospitality prices have gone up. But we have enhanced the hospitality product offering so that the viewing experience is much better. We are negotiating with a five-star hotel for different kinds of food.

    Q. Are the Rajasthan Royals being remembered as a brand having famous faces like Shane Watson?

    A. The loyalty factor from our perspective is to ensure that fans remember the brand of cricket that we play. We have achieved this. We remain the underdog team but we have wooed fans by the quality of cricket we play. Hopefully, retention of a few players will be allowed.

    Q. Is it a good idea to keep having auctions every few years?

    A. There may be some confusion about who plays for whom, but it will even out over time. The key is that the brand of cricket that the different IPL franchises play has to be distinct. So the teams that are selected will reflect the brand of cricket played by that franchise.

     

    You need auctions so that the league remains competitive. Team composition strategies have to be built to reflect the team personality. There are also transfer windows which ensure that gaps can be filled.

    Q. The IPL will have a new team owned by a television media company. What impact will this have?

    A. It is a major development. When they (Sun TV) go out and sell sponsorships, there will be cross synergies that they can offer.

     

    From the league’s perspective, it is cool that franchises like this will use their platform to advertise their team. It means more visibility for the IPL. The challenge, though, is that the Hyderabad team is still associated with ‘Deccan‘. So a complete re-branding exercise will have to be done by Sun TV.

     

  • MakeMyTrip becomes principal sponsor of Sunrisers Hyderabad

    MUMBAI: MakeMyTrip, India’s leading travel company, has associated with Sunrisers Hyderabad as the ‘Principal Sponsor’ for the team. MakeMyTrip will also launch an innovative and exciting marketing campaign targeted at travelers and IPL fans in April.

    MakeMyTrip will launch a new campaign featuring an extension of the current brand promise. In the 360 degree campaign, MakeMyTrip will showcase the Sunrisers association through a TVC featuring the team’s players – Dale Steyn, Cameron White and Ishant Sharma.

    This will be aired to coincide with the launch of the IPL 2013 season. MakeMyTrip will simultaneously launch BTL and ATL activation through its website, retail stores and social media properties. MakeMyTrip customers and Sunrisers’ Fans can look forward to a Meet & Greet with the players as part of the activation.

    MakeMyTrip.com CEO & Founder Deep Kalra said, “We are delighted to partner with Sunrisers Hyderabad and reach out to millions of IPL fans through this association. The IPL beautifully demonstrates the synergies of the twin passions of Cricket and Travel, with fans following their teams to match-venues across different parts of the country. Together with our customers, we look forward to the IPL excitement and wish our team the very best.”

    Sunrisers Hyderabad CEO K Shanmugam added, “MakeMyTrip has been a pioneer in the category of Online Travel in India, and a harbinger of change. We are confident that they will ably partner us in our journey of reinvention and quest for success. We welcome them to the Sunrisers family and look forward to a successful association.”

  • Star Plus hops on to the IPL bandwagon

    MUMBAI: Star Plus, Star India’s flagship Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC), has signed on as the official on-ground associate sponsor of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) as it seeks to keep its numero uno position intact by riding on the popularity of the tournament.

    With Star Plus on-board, the BCCI will also heave a sigh of relief as it was having a tough time in filling the on-ground sponsorship slots left vacant by the exit of Hero MotoCorp, Citi, Karbonn Mobiles and Volkswagen. The BCCI has now locked in three associate sponsors which includes Vodafone, Yes Bank and Star Plus in addition to title sponsor Pepsi.

    According to a top sports marketing executive, the sponsorship deal between Star Plus and BCCI is in the region of Rs 300 to Rs 350 million annually.

    This is not the first time a television channel has used IPL to reach out to its audience. Last year, Star India’s newly launched Hindi GEC Life OK had associated with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to raise its brand awareness.

    “We are happy to be associated with the IPL primarily to drive our flagship channel, Star Plus. We saw a great opportunity to use this platform to communicate our brand promise of “Rishta Wahi, Soch Nayi”. We are also very keen to deepen what is
    already a strong relationship with the BCCI. The power of Star‘s platform is unique and we are keen to leverage this to support BCCI’s efforts to increase the reach and popularity of IPL,” said Star India CEO Uday Shankar.

    “Since its inception in 2008, the tournament has provided a platform to organisations, which are as passionate about achieving and maintaining standards of excellence as the IPL itself. Star India belongs to this elite fraternity. We look forward to a fruitful association with them,” said IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla.

    The Pepsi IPL 2013 will be played from 3 April to 26 May. Nine teams will play each other twice – at home and away, in a total of 72 league matches. The top four teams, in terms of points, at the end of the league stage on 19 May will qualify for the Playoffs. The final will be played on 26 May at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

  • Max and Six back on Reliance Big TV

    Max and Six back on Reliance Big TV

    MUMBAI: With six days left for the Indian Premier League (IPL), direct-to-home operator Reliance Big TV has sorted out its dispute with MSM Discovery, the exclusive distributor of IPL‘s official broadcasters Sony Max and Sony Six.

    MSM Discovery, the joint venture between Multi Screen Media (MSM) and Discovery Communications that manages TheOneAlliance, had earlier in the day pulled the plug on Reliance Big TV by switching off signals of Max and Six for non-payment of dues.

    However, Reliance Big TV cleared the outstanding dues that finally led to TheOneAlliance agreeing to resume signals effective tonight.

    MSM Discovery President Rajesh Kaul confirmed that the dispute with Reliance Big TV has been amicably resolved. “Yes, we have resolved our issues with Reliance Big TV. The signals of Max and Six to Reliance Big TV will resume tonight,” Kaul told Indiantelevision.com.

    Reliance Big TV spokesperson refused to comment on the issue.

    The decision to switch off signals to Reliance Big TV would have affected almost two million subscribers who would have had to miss one and a half months of IPL action that kicks off on 3 April.

    Earlier, TheOneAlliance had issued a public notice in Economic Times and Business Standard informing subscribers of an impending switch off.

  • Pepsi signs up as pouring partner of eight IPL teams

    MUMBAI: After winning the title sponsorship for the biggest annual sporting event in the subcontinent, PepsiCo India has associated with eight out of nine IPL teams excluding Mumbai Indians as the ‘Exclusive Pouring Partner’.

    This year Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors India, The Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab and reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders will say “Oh Yes Abhi!” to Pepsi and other brands in the PepsiCo portfolio.

    The company will have exclusive pouring rights at partner teams’ home matches along with the title of the official beverage for the eight teams. The association will extend to PepsiCo’s robust food and beverage portfolio including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7UP, Mango Slice, Mirinda, Aquafina, Tropicana, Lay’s, Kurkure, Aliva and Quaker Oats.

    These team partnerships, along with the title sponsorship and the robust on-air, on-line and on-ground plans will ensure maximum visibility and engagement for PepsiCo’s brands.

    While activations with Delhi Daredevils will be led by both Pepsi and Mountain Dew; Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors will be led by Pepsi; Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab by Mountain Dew; Chennai Super Kings, The Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore by 7UP. Additionally, these associations also bring with it exclusive pouring rights, joint marketing association opportunities along with other benefits for both food and beverage brands.

    PepsiCo India Region CEO, Beverages Gautham Mukkavilli said, “At PepsiCo, we believe that winning the title sponsorship of Pepsi-IPL was just the beginning and we are committed to back it with smart, strategic and high-decibel marketing and activation plans that will help us maximize the tournament’s potential. We are thrilled to announce our association with the eight franchise teams and will continue to build a campaign that will change the face of sport sponsorships and activations in India. Cricket lovers can look forward to a lot more excitement, never before experiences and a memorable sporting season.”

    PepsiCo has also signed the Co-Presenting broadcast sponsorship deal with Multi Screen Media (MSM), owners of the Max channel that will be broadcasting Pepsi-IPL 2013. Apart from a strong on-air play of its portfolio, PepsiCo is working on a series of customised innovations with MSM to maximise its association with the broadcaster.

  • Yes Bank inks five-year sponsorship deal with IPL

    MUMBAI: Yes Bank has come on-board as the on-ground sponsor of cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) in the financial services category for a period of five years.

    Citi was the official on-ground sponsor of the IPL in the financial services category till IPL season 5 before it decided not to renew the deal.

    Yes Bank is the third official on-ground sponsor apart from title sponsor Pepsi and associate sponsor Vodafone, which renewed its association with IPL last year.

    Yes Bank Founder, MD & CEO Rana Kapoor said, “IPL is the foremost event property in India, which through its vibrant and innovative platform brings together the entire country, irrespective of regional or demographic diversity.

    “We are confident that Yes Bank‘s association with IPL for five years will facilitate our brand recognition, and further propel our pan India retail banking franchise. We look forward to deepen our relationship with our stakeholders through various exciting and creative initiatives around the IPL in our Retail branch serving areas across India.”

    IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said, “Pepsi IPL welcomes Yes Bank on board. Our relationship will only get stronger in the weeks and months to come, and we shall together ensure that we deliver a stupendous tournament.”

    The IPL season 6 will be played from 3 April to 26 May involving a total of 76 matches to be played over a period of seven weeks.

  • BookMyShow.com is official ticketing partner for six IPL teams

    BookMyShow.com is official ticketing partner for six IPL teams

    MUMBAI: Entertainment ticketing portal BookMyShow.com has announced its association with the SunRisers Hyderabad team for IPL 2013, making it the official ticketing partner for six out of nine IPL teams this season.

    With this development, BookMyShow.com will be managing 60 per cent of the ticketing inventory for IPL 2013, making it the largest ticketing provider this season.

    BookMyShow.com has been associated with IPL teams for four consecutive years and will be the official ticketing partner for Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad this season.

    BookMyShow.com founder, CEO Ashish Hemrajani said, “We are happy to be long standing partners for these IPL teams, witnessing a year on year increment of around 18 – 25 per cent in revenues for our organisers each season. Online sales have become an essential element for every IPL team with 85 per cent of IPL sales in high internet penetration markets derived from online sales. Even low internet penetration markets have emerged with 75 per cent of tickets sold online last season, showcasing a 35 per cent growth in online sales since its inception

    “Being market leaders‘ in this space, we understand the sensitivity of each market and implement different and effective marketing strategies in accordance to the same. We are associated with 6 IPL teams this season, managing more than 15 lakh tickets for the IPL 2013 teams and we hope to partner with two more teams in IPL 2014.”

    In order to extend its reach among customers, BookMyShow.com has tied up with leading brands including Café Coffee Day, BMW, Mercedes Benz and more. Apart from being the official ticketing partner, BookMyShow.com will also manage the on-ground operations for all six teams which would encompass strategy and planning, ticket printing with security features, ground sales, home delivery, inventory management, stock distribution, cash collection, corporate and package sales, online marketing, gate entry validation plus management and reconciliation (post event). BookMyShow.com has also been awarded with accreditation management for four IPL teams – Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors India and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

    Apart from booking tickets online, customers can also view details such as seating arrangement, venue, offers, players‘ information, ticketing outlets and delivery tracking of tickets. One can also purchase the official teams‘ merchandise on the website. BookMyShow.com also has a customer support that can be reached online, on the phone or through its retail outlets for addressing any ticketing issues.

    Tickets for Delhi Daredevil, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad are currently live on BookMyShow.com. Tickets for Pune Warriors India will be live from today 25 March.

  • Aircel launches marketing campaign with CSK for IPL 2013

    MUMBAI: Aircel, the official sponsor of Chennai Super Kings team, has launched the ‘Kaun Dega Man of the Match‘ contest for all its prepaid and postpaid subscribers.

    The contest gives three lucky winners a rare opportunity to hand over the ‘Man of the Match’ award live in front of millions of cricket fans, in any one of the Chennai Super Kings game.

    An all-expenses paid offer, Aircel intends to share this unique opportunity and experience with its new as well as existing subscribers (both prepaid and post-paid).

    All Aircel’s existing and new pre-paid subscribers can buy a connection and recharge it with Rs 100 or above to be eligible for participation to the contest. However, all its existing and new post-paid customers are automatically eligible to participate in this contest.

    Apart from the giving of the ‘Man of the Match’ award, the contest also offers eight lucky winners, an exciting chance to meet the Chennai Super Kings team to their city.

    Other interesting offers by Aircel for its valuable subscribers for IPL include: CSK players R. Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Murali Vijay talk to Aircel subscribers via Celeb Chat, a specially developed CSK app with updated information on the team, and a newly created Video Scorecard for an innovative presentation of scores along with videos of key events.

    Speaking at the occasion, Aircel CMO Anupam Vasudev said, “Aircel is proud to be associated with one of the most prestigious and successful cricket teams of the IPL – Chennai Super Kings. Our partnership with CSK aims to encourage cricket and provide a great platform for the new crop of talent to shape up into champions of future. Through our association with CSK, we offer our customers something ‘Extra’ like tickets, CSK merchandise and innovative consumer engagement programs along with the opportunity to witness and experience the best international cricket with some top ranking Indian and international players.”

    Tapping into the digital world to create buzz around CSK in the social media community, Aircel also launched the “Blogger Hunt” contest. The contest gives one winner a unique opportunity to travel with the Chennai Super Kings team for over 45 days wherein they would publish candid inside stories/content on the Aircel micro blogging site, on the Facebook and the Twitter page.

  • Supertech to continue as associate sponsor of Rajasthan Royals

    MUMBAI: Rajasthan Royals has extended its team sponsorship contract with real estate company Supertech for season 6 of the
    Indian Premier League (IPL).

    Supertech has been associated with the team as Associate Sponsor since 2011. The objective of the association is to leverage the team image which has a great combination of young, energetic, dependable and experienced players.

    Supertech Director Mohit Arora said, “Rajasthan Royals has given consistent performances in the previous league and has earned a huge fan following. We are thrilled to support and be a part of this strong team again and enjoy this exciting journey together. We are looking forward to witnessing yet another exciting season of cricket this IPL too.”

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “Rajasthan Royals has benefited immensely from this long standing partnership with
    Supertech. We are proud to extend our relationship with such a recognised, dedicated and supporting brand as Supertech.”