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Tag: IPL

  • UltraTech Cement is principal team sponsor of Rajasthan Royals

    UltraTech Cement is principal team sponsor of Rajasthan Royals

    MUMBAI: IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals has roped in UltraTech Cement, part of the Aditya Birla group, as the Principal Team Sponsor for the fifth season of the IPL.

    The cement brand has been associated with the Rajasthan Royals since the first season. They were principal team sponsors in 2009 and 2010 while being an on-ground partner in 2008 and 2011. The Royals also launched the team‘s new jerseys and presented their new line up, which includes five cricketers who were acquired at last month’s IPL auction.

    Last year the principal sponsor was Floriana. “We are still a month away from the event kicking off. Right now we have eight sponsors. By the time the event starts, we expect to have 14-15 sponsors like last year,” said Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer.

    The other sponsors and partners include Kingfisher, Puma and TCS. Some deals are on-going while others like TCS are on a yearly basis.

    UltraTech Cement business director OP Puranmalka said: “Rajasthan Royals in their previous IPL editions have stood for inspired leadership, innovation and professionalism. Driven by a team of Professionals and strategic thinkers, UltraTech, as a Market Leader and a champion brand, places great emphasis on all of these attributes too.”

    Ultratech Cement Joint Executive President Shashank Awasthi said that the compabny’s marketing budget will be similar to last year. 70 per cent of the spend goes towards below the line activities. The deal with the Rajasthan Royals will help build relationships with their dealer network and customers. The company will do contests, hold meet and greet meetings with the stars for their dealers and customers. The company also does things at the grassroots level like support Dilip Vengsarkar’s academy.

    Rajasthan Royals co-owner Shilpa Shetty said, “We are very pleased to have UltraTech Cement as the Royals’ Principal Team Sponsor. I am confident that with their support, the Royals, under a new captain and with the exciting new additions to our squad will be able to give our fans a lot to cheer about this season. As a tribute to our home city we have also designed a new training jersey.”

    Shetty along with Puranmalka launched the team’s official jersey in the presence of team members at a glittering ceremony that witnessed the use of innovative video projection mapping to unveil the brand new jersey. The projection was used to show case the team’s unforgettable moments of victory and pride during the last few seasons.

    Designed by Puma, which is the franchises‘ official kitting partner, the lightweight jersey is made with Polyester and lightweight mesh back and are made to give high breathability in soaring temperatures. With styled names and numbers inscribed in Dazzel gold, the royal blue jerseys have cut and sew panels with Dazzel inserts. In addition to this, a training jersey dedicated to the pink city of Jaipur, the team’s home, was also unveiled at the ceremony.

  • Nimbus ropes in Vodafone, Imperial Blue as WSH sponsors

    Nimbus ropes in Vodafone, Imperial Blue as WSH sponsors

    MUMBAI: Nimbus Sport, the marketing partner of Indian Hockey Federation promoted World Series Hockey, has roped in Vodafone and Imperial Blue as associate sponsors for the tournament which went underway Thursday.

    Nimbus Sport COO Yannick Colaco said the organisers are talking to two more companies for sponsorship. The company had recently signed Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone as the title sponsor of the tournament for the first season.

    “We have done one year deals with our sponsors and partners. They will have the first right to renew the deal for four more years. Once people see the proof in the pudding, they will see value in associating with the event,” Colaco said, adding that the aim is build associations with premium brands.

    The organisers are targeting a viewership of 1 TVR in the first year and are hopeful that Indian team’s recent win in Olympic Qualifiers will boost interest in the tournament. He draws a parallel to the Indian Premier League (IPL) which benefitted after India won the first edition of the Twenty20 World Cup.

    “In terms of television viewership we are targeting a TVR of 1. India‘s performance in the Olympics qualifiers has created interest in the sport,” Colaco asserted.

    Colaco adds that advertisers associate with the event as they believe in the project. At the same time they look for ROI. He adds that the big challenge for the agency has been the politics that has been going on while issues like logistics have been taken care of.

    Stated Vodafone India Sr. VP Consumer Insights and Communications Anuradha Aggarwal, “We have been associated with marquee sporting properties like IPL and F1. There is a definite upswing in terms of awareness and sentiments for our national game (Hockey). WSH has tremendous long term potential and we would like to create interesting and engaging outreach programmes for our subscribers around this property.”

    Offering a media buyer‘s take, Lodestar UN COO Anamika Mehta says that the league is a good idea. At the same time over the years there has been little effort to grow the sport at the grassroots level. Mehta feels that the older TG will tune in who have watched Indian hockey in its glory days. The challenge is that youth don‘t have an emotional connect with hockey unlike leagues like the EPL in soccer.

    “A lot of work has to be done to bring the youth into the game. The parties in this initiative have to be in it for the long haul. At the same time the negative publicity around the event hasn‘t helped. While clients haven‘t been extremely enthusiastic, it is the first time that the event is being held,” she says.

    Mehta adds that WSH cannot be just about the event taking place once a year, contending if that happens then the buzz will die down. It is important that franchises do marketing and promotional activities regularly across the year.

  • Pepsi launches its first football campaign

    Pepsi launches its first football campaign

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo India has launched a new ad campaign on Football in India. This is the first time the food and beverages major has rolled out a football centric campaign.

    So far, the company was focusing on cricket in its campaign to reach masses.

    Conceptualised and created by JWT, the campaign features brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor.

    Irreverent and youthful, the TVC aims to bring alive the fun associated with football in Pepsi style. The campaign will be supported by a 360-degree approach including outdoor, consumer engagement and social media programmes.

    PepsiCo Beverages India executive director – marketing Deepika Warrier said, “Pepsi has always taken the lead in celebrating newer and emerging youth platforms; from cricket to movies to music, the brand has successfully created memorable campaigns and experiences for Youngistaan. Football is gaining immense popularity in India and being a true youth soul-mate, Pepsi is proud to be associated with the sport.

    With a line-up of cricketing events including IPL, ICC World Twenty20 and a host of football initiatives, Pepsi promises an action-filled, fun year ahead.”

    PepsiCo India category director – colas, hydration and mango based beverages Homi Battiwalla added, “Our new Pepsi Football campaign takes forward the philosophy of ‘Change the Game’ with a refreshing twist. The campaign promises to excite and engage not only the existing passionate football fans but the entire nation”.

    “Pepsi is all about youth and their passions, which is reflected in the choice of football as a platform to engage with our target group. The new campaign retains the original irreverent and fun Pepsi style along with the new football energy and excitement,” JWT India executive business director Saurabh Saksena said.

    The media planning for the company is done by Mindshare.

  • Saints & Warriors wins Kings XI Punjab’s creative account

    Saints & Warriors wins Kings XI Punjab’s creative account

    MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League franchise Kings XI Punjab has awarded its creative duties to Saints and Warriors.

    The incumbent agency on the account is Fisheye Communication.

    Kings XI Punjab chief operating officer Colonel Arvinder Singh said, “There was no pitch. The agency called and requested a chance to present their understanding of our business. We were impressed by the creative expressions they brought to the table.”

    The marketing strategy will be decided in the days to come. The media mix for this season will include digital and social media to a great extent along with TV, print, radio, outdoor and on-ground activation.

    Saints and Warriors senior vice-president and branch head Mumbai Sartaj Jaffri said, “We like working with brands that are willing to do clutter-breaking work.”

    The agency‘s Mumbai branch has won accounts like Fiat Motors, Big FM‘s new positioning and Wagh Bakri‘s Mili over the past year.

    Saints & Warriors group head, creative Kshitij Salve said, “We plan to design a campaign that will be a celebration of T20’s spirit of fun and entertainment.”

  • GMR Sports signs up flagbearers to boost IPL team

    GMR Sports signs up flagbearers to boost IPL team

    MUMBAI: IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils, which did not have a good outing in the previous edition of the event, today unveiled its plans to engage with fans by signing on four flagbearers of daredevilry as Delhi Daredevils Supefans.

    India’s only IronMan athlete Anuradha Vaidyanathan, the youngest Indian climber to summit three peaks beyond 8000m including Mount Everest, Arjun Vajpai, India’s only ultramarathon runner Arun Bhardwaj and the only Indian woman to ski her way to South Pole and Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu were presented the Delhi Daredevils Supefans badge by GMR Sports Chairman Mr. Kiran K Grandhi.

    GMR Sports head marketing Hemant Dua said the Superfans exhibit a similar Dare-to-Succeed approach to their respective pursuits as the Delhi Daredevils cricketers. “Daredevilry is an attitude that is developed over time and not an act of impulse. We want to showcase the fact that everyone can be a daredevil no matter which walk of life one is in. Our Superfans encompass a diverse range – from a housewife to a student, from a Government employee to an entrepreneur – but they all bound by the common thread of daredevilry.”

    Dua elaborated on plans to connect with the entire spectrum of people in the region. “Our marketing campaign for the year will revolve around the banter between our cricketers and our diehard fans, through these Superfans,” he said. “These wonderful flagbearers of daredevilry will also take part in road shows through the year to inculcate this spirit among the people of the National Capital Region of Delhi. The Delhi Daredevils team belongs to this amazing city and wants to contribute to its overall development as a world class city.”

    GMR Sports Head (Cricket) and Delhi Daredevils Mentor TA Sekar said that the players would benefit from an interaction with the four Super Fans. “Cricketers have always admired achievers from other walks of life. The Delhi Daredevils squad will draw from the experiences of the Super Fans and be able to imbibe some of the learning into their own approach to life in general and their cricket in particular”.

    The four Super Fans expressed delight at being inducted into the Delhi Daredevils fold. Anuradha Vaidyanathan said speed is something that she could not live without – like the pace bowler Umesh Yadav. “Just like the Delhi Daredevils team, I love beating stereotypes black and blue,” she said. Teenager Arjun Vajpai said he enjoys watching the Daredevils as much as he love climbing. “I am proud of the Delhi Daredevils and I cheer for the team with the same passion that took to me the summit of Mount Everest,” he said.

    Bhardwaj said that he would not miss tracking a Delhi Daredevils game. “I love watching its batsmen hit the ball out of the ground,” he said. Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu sees similarities in her adventures to Virender Sehwag. “My passion for mountaineering is like what he has for his batting. My tryst with skiing is like his penchant to bowl as well,” she said.

  • Sports broadcasters to take home Rs 3 bn less in ad rev this year

    Sports broadcasters to take home Rs 3 bn less in ad rev this year

    MUMBAI: The absence of the cricket World Cup, a less heavy calendar for Dhoni and his boys and the uncertainty over the Indian team‘s future performance could result in ad revenue for the sports broadcasters trimming by around Rs 3 billion in 2012.

    Sports broadcasters earned an ad revenue of Rs 20 billion in 2011 calendar year, triggered by the Indian Premier League (IPL) that fetched Rs 9 billion and the cricket World Cup that is estimated to have got Rs 4 billion. Though the IPL will still play out this year, it is unlikely to get a major hike. Efforts are being made to push hockey but the increase will be from a very low base and would not make up for the cricket World Cup. Even the Olympics is a very small revenue earner for the sports broadcasters.

    The T20 World Cup, to be held this year, will provide a cushion but only to some extent.

    Says Vivaki Exchange executive VP Sejal Shah, “The ODI World Cup is a miss this year. The T20 World Cup will help to some extent. But the loss from sports will move to other genres chasing similar mass and male audiences.”

    Another issue is the current performance of the Indian team. “If India continues to perform badly, then yes ad spends will come down significantly. We will need to wait and watch what happens in the upcoming ODI and IPL formats,” adds Shah.

    For advertisers, the return on investment (ROI) is dependent on the audience that they want to chase and the objective of their campaigns. “If cost efficiency alone is the objective, then GECs (general entertainment channels) and news will be better ROI vehicles. If mass and male audiences are the objective, then there is nothing better than a cricket platform to establish the communication,” states Shah.

    Cricket still remains the best vehicle to cut across geographies and SECs for male skewed brands, she adds.

    Madison Media Group CEO Punitha Arumugham agrees that cricket is no more a special programme but a part of the calendar for any major brand. However, if cricket is not performing, she cautions that there are enough opportunities on television and print. “Ratings is going to decide how much money people are going to put on it, and what cost they are going to pay for it. If cricket doesn‘t score, the money will go back to other mediums and digital,” she says.

    Cricket advertising depends a lot on non FMCG companies like telecom and automobiles. “In this economic scenario, non FMCG will spend slightly lesser this year. Automobile, because of their new launches, and telecom categories may still spend well. However in the current economic climate, the financial category and consumer durables are likely to lower down their spends,” says Arumugham.

    Due to their high costs, advertisers have been pressing for performance guarantee deals going forward. A media expert, however, feels that this is unlikely to happen unless there is a huge mismatch between what a channel is charging and what a client is willing to pay.

    “A lot also depends on the state of the economy. If the economy turns for the better, then more brands will launch campaigns towards the latter part of the year,” the expert opines.

  • Bridgestone ups marketing budget by 20% in 2012

    Bridgestone ups marketing budget by 20% in 2012

    MUMBAI: Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone India has upped its marketing spends by 20 per cent to Rs 300 million this calendar year with 40 per cent of the total spends set aside for television, according to a company executive.

    In the previous year, the company had a marketing spend of Rs 250 million, half of which was allotted for television.

    The company, which is a heavy user of sports as a marketing platform, believes its recent tie-up with World Series Hockey (WSH) coupled with its sponsorship of Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai Indians will pay it rich dividends. The tyre manufacturer announced earlier this week its title sponsorship of WSH for the first season of the tournament.

    “Partnering any form of sports is a natural extension of our marketing philosophy; we have been doing it for so many years now ever since Bridgestone Corporation was conceptualised. It helps us to connect to our target audience and in achieving our marketing strategy as well,” Bridgestone India GM PSR Sales & Marketing Vaibhav Saraf told Indiantelevision.com.

    He further added, “We started advertising in India in 2011 last year around April and the first thing we did was partnering with Mumbai Indians as associate sponsor. So we are quite keen on tying-up with sports events in India mainly from the perspective that it goes directly to our audience and that is a much salient way of putting your brand to your customers.”

    Bridgestone has a three-year sponsorship deal with Mumbai Indians effective till 2014. As the title sponsor of WSH, besides getting the title naming rights of the event, the tyre brand will also have on-air rights as part of a combo offer.

    Globally, the tyre manufacturer is associated with events like National Hockey League, National Football League and World Golf Championship. Its long-term association with F1 ended in 2010.

    The company counts youth as its core target group and, hence, the connect with sports. “In India, all guys with car are part of our TG and in terms of age of course male 25+ Sec AB and R1 (top social rural class),” Saraf explained.

    The brand hopes to derive the same mileage out of WSH sponsorship as it did from the IPL association through Mumbai Indians. Saraf expects WSH to deliver return on investment of at least Rs 100 million in terms of brand awareness.

    The hockey association, the company believes, will help in the North Indian market where it is weak and the game has been traditionally popular. The company also sees its 2000 dealers across India as a major consumer touch point.

    “Our evaluation is that we expect to get returns of at least Rs 100 million in terms of brand awareness and that’s the reason we have partnered WSH. The North belt has been a weak link for us and Hockey is tremendously popular there. We are also trying to tap into that segment which is not very keen on IPL and GEC. They have their own flavour, so we are trying to address those customers from Hockey,” Saraf held.

    Bridgestone’s marketing activity around the league will be limited to BTL since there is not much time left for the tournament. “Most of our ATL activity will be taken care by Nimbus and Neo Sports, we will not spend much on ATL activities. But for the BTL activities, which will be mainly to drive traffic to the stores, we will be spending on campaign and a lot on sales promotional materials,” Saraf affirmed.

  • CSK lets fans name its mascot

    CSK lets fans name its mascot

    MUMBAI: In its endeavour to engage its ever-growing fan base, Indian premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has launched a fan engagement contest for the upcoming season. For the first time, we see a club allowing young fans to come up with a ‘cool and exciting‘ name for their mascot.

    CSK‘s mascot is a young lion, symbolising the city’s fighting spirit and winning attitude. Even though it has been a long standing fixture in the CSK brand for over four years now, it has remained nameless for all these years. From cheering the team on the sidelines, to colouring the field yellow celebrating victory, the mascot is now going to be a more visible member of the team with the responsibility of entertaining young and old fans who watch the match in the stadium.

    Through this contest fans are encouraged to participate in giving a name to the mascot that is not only cool but is reflective of the attitude of the city and the team it stands for. In order to help the fans, there are some likes and dislikes that have been mentioned, that will help them in naming the lion.

    CSK joint president marketing Rakesh Singh said, “A mascot is a platform to engage with our young fans. It allows a certain freedom to bring humour and sarcasm into a serious sports brand. Moreover, It can have a opinion on anything and everything and put a smile on faces. We are excited to get our young fans involved in the naming of their favorite mascot and hope that we will receive great response from them. The lucky winner, will not only have a chance to name the lion, but also receive a host of goodies from the team. 10 runners up will win post cards jointly autographed by the captain M.S.Dhoni and the mascot.”

    The contest is for fans aged between 4 – 15 years and will be conducted through SMS and online entries. The last date of entry for the contest would be 28 February.

  • KKR gets a new brand identity

    KKR gets a new brand identity

    MUMBAI: Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla co-owned IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders has got a new brand identity starting season 5 of the IPL.

    Created by global branding agency Lambie Nairn, the new design stags with the traditional team colours of purple and gold but incorporates a striking new logo unit.

    The new logo is the centerpiece of the franchise‘s marketing campaign for the upcoming IPL season christened ‘New Dawn. New Knights’.

    Team owner Shahrukh Khan said, “The new team we put together last year made us proud with the refreshing approach, winning attitude and professionalism they brought to KKR. Add to that our new coach and our new players this year, I am excited about the upcoming season and our new campaign New Dawn. New Knights.”

    KKR CEO Venky Mysore said: “We have been fortunate that the KKR brand has become the leading brand in the IPL. We are working very hard to add value to our sponsors, grow our fan base and build a profitable business. I am confident that our new logo and our new campaign will help us achieve our objectives.”

    According to Larnbie-Nairn Creative Director Sophie Lutman, the new identity was designed keeping in mind so that it would work across every touch point, from the screen to merchandising.

    The new look has been polled out across a wide range of applications including the team Hit, online, social media applications and merchandising.

    Post the unveiling of the team’s new logo, replying questions about the uncertainty the IPL following Sahara’s pullout, Shah Rukh said the off-field controversies will have no impact on the league.

    “All such leagues in India would be confronted with issues as they are a new concept. But these leagues are needed not only in cricket but also in other sports such as soccer, hockey, badminton… IPL is a very good property,” he said.

    He was also unperturbed about the drop in the viewership during last year’s IPL which was held after ICC World Cup.

    “It‘s too early to say the passion and viewership for IPL is down. All things popular will have controversies. Slowly it has settled down and will get forward. We should resist the temptation to write it off. Let‘s not jump the gun,” he said.

    He was also in favour of a more pro-active role in the running of the league, a long held demand of most IPL franchises.

    “Last year and this year there have been a lot of unforeseen issues in the IPL and they have been slowly rising. We all franchise owners have to be active participants and it would be better to be on the board (Governing Council),” Shah Rukh said in response to a query.

    “The BCCI is run by a lot of cricketing and thoughtful minds. We are given forums to discuss issues with the BCCI,” he added.

  • 2011: Building leagues and searching for life beyond cricket

    2011: Building leagues and searching for life beyond cricket

    2011 was a year where sports took a leaf out of the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and announced leagues following a similar franchise format. Leagues ranging from football to hockey are being built to offer content to sports broadcasters.

    Sports marketers believe that there is an audience for sport other than cricket as long as it is packaged, marketed and organised well in a professional manner.

    As far as cricket is concerned, the big news was the termination of Nimbus‘ rights for India cricket by the BCCI. On a more positive note, the sport did well for advertisers in terms of ROI.

    As far as the push towards non cricket is concerned, two leagues were announced this year in motorsports and American football. Nimbus and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) concretised their plans for World Series Hockey (WSH).

    The property for Nimbus will serve as a feeder for Neo Sports. Wizcraft International director Sabbas Joseph expects this franchise to break-even within five years. But given that politics has been responsible for the national sport going down the drain, it is not surprising that the initiative has run into some rough
    weather.

    In order to take the sport of horse racing to another level, R1 was launched marking Bennett Coleman‘s first big push into sport. The push also extended to sports entertainment with WWE opening an office in India.

    Life In The Fast Lane: It is not just mass sports that are going the league way to gain a wider audience and boost their commercial value. In motorsports, Machdar Motorsports announced the launch of a racing league at a cost of $12-15 million a year. It will no doubt be encouraged by the response that the first F1 race got in Delhi. The league, called i1 Super Series, will see the likes of Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan owning a team.

    The league, though, has been postponed to January next year, partly due to the fact that franchise owners want time for marketing activities. Also, it has been finding it tough to get corporates to own teams for I series, which is why it had reduced the ownership price from $5 million to $3.5 million.

    1 Super Series managing Darshan M expects the franchises, who have ownership for 15 years, to recoup their investments in the fourth year. Each team will race with two cars forming an 18-car grid.

    Aiming to grow the amount of sports it covers, Ten Sports has taken the broadcast rights for the event. Ten Sports CEO Atul Pande believes there is place for a domestic racing league. “Our programming mix is the best among the sports broadcasters and this property is a significant addition. With the kind of capital and marketing dollars chasing it, the event will gain traction,” he says.

    And for Khan, this offers an opportunity to get involved with other sports ventures apart from his Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise.

    GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit notes that the involvement of celebrities like SRK will lend visibility. “But ultimately it is the quality of sport being dished out that will determine its fate. At this point I am not sure if it will turn out to be a good TV sport. This will be a toy for the big boys.”

    Taking a Punt: In order to boost the profile of horse racing, RWITC formed a joint venture with Bennett Coleman and Procam to launch R1.

    R1 has 13 races lined up across the country in its debut year. Aired on Ten Sports, R1 kicked off with the Indian 1000 Guineas on 11 December 2011. The aim of the stakeholders is to position the sport as being cool and trendy so that younger viewers start tuning in.

    Zee is pushing the property on its other channels like Zee Café and Zee Studio. Bennett Coleman will also heavily promote the event across its different properties like Times Now.

    For the first time in the history of this sport, behind-the-scenes action will be captured, which include the jockeys‘ room and the stewards room. The live world feed will include new cameras including a Super Slo-Mo Camera.

    According to Pandit, horse racing operates in a tight segment. “It is seen in India as a gamblers sport. Some brands will associate with it. Whether they broaden the audience base or not remains to be seen,” he says.

    EFLI makes an entry: The Elite Football League of India (EFLI) announced a league aiming to grow American football in India. Based on the franchise model, it starts with eight teams, building up to a total of 52 by 2022 representing all Indian cities with a population in excess of one million.

    With Ten Sports as its partner, the league will kick off in November 2012 in Pune. Says EFLI CEO Richard Whelan, “American football is fast, furious and fun to watch. Indian viewers are now watching sports other than cricket. There is no doubt in our minds that the EFLI has picked the right time for its Indian touchdown. Even women are keen on watching sports.”

    Nimbus‘ Woes: Speaking of the bat and ball game, Nimbus is on a sticky wicket. It moved the Bombay high Court over its deal with the BCCI (the Board of Control for Cricket in India) that got terminated for non payment of dues.

    The BCCI has time to find a new broadcaster as there are several months to go before India plays a series at home.

    Ad revenue scene: Sports broadcasters earned an advertising revenue of around Rs 21 billion in 2011, a healthy growth over last year.

    Agrees Lodestar UN CEO Shashi Sinha, “2011 was special for sports as there was the cricket World Cup and the IPL. You had the highs of big properties as well as events that helped build the image of sports. FMCG brands also got more involved with cricket. The economic slowdown has not impacted sports ad revenue.”

    There is a challenge, though, in 2012 as ad revenue from cricket could degrow in terms of monies due to a lesser number of high profile events.

    Sinha finds the entry of new leagues an encouraging sign. “The surface of sports in India has not been scratched beyond cricket. There is scope for leagues to work as long as investments are made. It will be a question of how a property is leveraged and marketed.”

    The Cricket Rights Scene: On the cricket rights front, 2012 will see a lot of action as a host of properties come up for grabs.

    In 2011, Zee took the crucial step of renewing its rights for Cricket South Africa. Zee also renewed rights for Zimbabwe cricket, while ESPN Star Sports (ESS) retained Australia.

    The rights for India, England, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and New Zealand are all due for grabs.