Tag: IPL

Social Beat wins digital mandate for Happilo

Mumbai: Premium dried fruits and healthy snack brand Happilo has entrusted independent digital marketing agency Social Beat to scale its brand across digital channels.

Social Beat was awarded the mandate after a competitive pitch.

Social Beat is to scale the online presence and increase sales through the website and marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart. Along with managing Happilo’s social media campaigns, the company will also help generate SEO-optimised content to help promote organic visibility. With more such interesting partnerships planned for the coming future, they have already hosted a virtual meet-and-greet with Pro Kabbadi League team Haryana Steelers and IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals.

Speaking about this partnership between the two fast-growing brands, Happilo founder Vikas Nahar said, “Social Beat comprises young and dynamic digital evangelists. We at Happilo are excited to partner with Social Beat and further our digital presence to achieve dominance in this category.”

Hapillo plans to grow into exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) in the near future and open around eight company-owned stores.

Social Beat co-founder Vikas Chawla said, “It’s exciting to partner with Happilo in the journey of building their brand and scaling up their business. With D2Scale, our new centre of excellence for D2C brands, we will be leveraging an end-to-end approach to scale across marketplaces, instant delivery platforms and D2C channels.”

June 27, 2022
IPL: Multiple media rights is an advantage for the bidders

MUMBAI: The three-day e-auction of IPL media rights 2023-2027 has concluded on Tuesday, with Disney-Star bagging TV rights for the Indian subcontinent and Viacom18/ Reliance sweeping the digital segment.

The total value of digital broadcast rights for IPL has reached Rs 23,757.52 crore. This means that the value of digital media rights to the IPL has surpassed the TV broadcast rights valued at Rs 23,575 crore. The total valuation of IPL media rights for the next five years has reached Rs 47,332.52 crore.

We have asked experts about why IPL media rights being distributed among broadcasters is a positive approach. Do experts think one can get leverage against the other players and there would be a fair deal in place?

Speaking on the IPL media rights being distributed, Madison Media & OOH Group CEO Vikram Sakhuja noted that rights being split up is a good thing for media buyers. “My point of view is that from a media buying standpoint it is probably an advantage. This is because if you deal with two or three partners your ability to leverage one against the other is better compared to all the cards being held by one person.” He noted that while the fall in IPL ratings on TV was disappointing, hardly anybody comes on to it just for cost per rating point (CPRP). They look to create an impact in a short time. That is why, he explains why many startups in categories like ed-tech are advertising.

Broadcasters, he explains, are generally good for making up the shortfall in ratings by giving things like bonus spots. Benchmarks are there and everyone is here to provide value. “Ratings alone is not why people take the IPL. It is about the passion behind the property and the impact that you get. This is huge. Clients get the reach, conduct a relatively clutter-free campaign and also get strong visibility. It is the clients who wanted to grow their business quickly who came onto the IPL.”

For him, the bigger challenge facing the rights holders for the IPL in the next season is the funding for startups, which is facing a winter. If the funding dries up and that situation stays, bad startups will have to cut back on marketing spending. Their outlays for the IPL will get affected. “Outlays rather than ratings will be the deciding factor for the next season. Will clients who like the IPL have enough outlay for next season? How many of them will have the appetite to return next year is the bigger question. If the startup money is there, things will be fine. But if not then will anybody else come in their place? For FMCG CPRP is very important. For that reason, they do not come to the IPL.”

Meanwhile, D & P India Advisory managing partner N Santosh feels that IPL will be a loss leader for both the TV rights holder and the digital rights. It would be a bit of a stretch to expect a profit. The amount of ad revenue in a season on television is around Rs 3000 crore in a best-case scenario. Of course, with more matches, this amount will rise. Then there are production costs. “It is good to have content but the TV rights holder may start making money only in the fourth or fifth year if viewership has risen significantly and ad rates have risen significantly. Then for those years, they might make a profit. But this content is important to have. It will grow its general entertainment business as subscription bundles can be offered. GEC can be sold with sports and that could add subscription revenue. For advertisers, bundles can be offered and revenues can be maximised. The GEC business is always profitable and IPL will only add profits to the GEC business.”

On the digital front, he thinks that Reliance due to Jio as a Super App will be able to monetise it slightly better compared to if another OTT platform had got the rights to Package B. The IPL can help add subscribers to Reliance’s telecom business. The IPL will be a bigger loss leader in digital. Ad revenue on digital is not that significant based on research that his company has done. “Ad revenue, the way it has been monetised so far on OTT platforms is not that material. But the IPL can be used to improve the subscription monetisation of the platform including the GEC, and movie library business. So digital ad revenue will not be that important. It will mostly be about the subscription. I have not seen OTT platforms monetise advertising that well.”

He also does not think that the rights being split up will affect monetisation ability. “I don’t see a major difference compared to one party having both TV and digital rights. The advertisers and subscribers are anyway different. Star and Hotstar from a subscription point of view were not bundled together. The packages were different.”

When asked about the per match value of the IPL from a broadcast rights point of view being the second in the world ahead of the premier league he noted that cricket is advertiser-friendly. Meanwhile, soccer relies more on subscriptions. Also, in the premier league often more than one match is played at the same time. So the viewership gets spread out. The IPL matches only take place one at a time, which is an advantage. In soccer, a Manchester United fan will only watch matches featuring that club. Whereas with the IPL even if you are a RCB fan you will still watch an IPL match not featuring that team as there are no other IPL matches going on at the same time.

In the context of ratings, IPG Mediabrands CEO Shashi Sinha said as far as TV is concerned, the ratings are an indicator, it is a question of advertiser’s supply and demand. If there is a huge demand then the property will do well next year. He noted that one will have to see how the economy is faring when the next edition of the IPL happens.

“Ratings are one part of it but finally it is about supply and demand. Ratings are just an indicator. We will have to see what big product launches are happening around the IPL. What are the new categories coming up? If the economy grows then the advertiser response will be good. If the Indian economy does not grow then it will be a problem. It is also not a question of just one year,” Sinha added.

He said that the winner must have taken a call of the economy doing well in the next five years. Sinha also noted that competitor’s pressure will play a role in IPL sponsorship. He gave the example of Byjus doing a deal with FIFA for the World Cup later in the year. For him the ability of Disney-Star to take the sponsorship and spot rates up will depend on the economy. It will also be upto Disney-Star on whether they go for an increase in rates at one go or raise rates gradually over the years.

He further noted the digital rights holder, in this case, Viacom18 will depend a lot on subscription. “All sports properties including EPL rely on subscription to an extent. Sometimes the dependence on subscription is higher. I am sure that Reliance will focus on subscription being a major telecom player,” he concluded.

June 16, 2022
High price dictated Disney-Star’s decision not pursue IPL digital rights

Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar which was in the running for the Indian Premier League digital broadcast rights decided to drop out due to the high price of the rights package.

Disney Star participated in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights e-auction and stated that it made disciplined bids with a focus on long-term value.

The company retained the TV broadcast rights to the tournament for the next five years for a substantial price of Rs 23,575 crore or Rs 57.5 crore per match. “We made disciplined bids with a focus on long-term value. We chose not to proceed with the digital rights given the price required to secure that package,” stated Campbell.

“We are pleased to extend our association with the Indian Premier League and look forward to offering the next five seasons across our portfolio of television channels,” said Campbell. “IPL is an important component of our portfolio of television channels in India, providing an incredible opportunity for us to showcase The Walt Disney Company’s powerful global brands and iconic storytelling, as well as Disney Star’s impressive collection of local original content, to millions of viewers in India.”

Disney Star India will explore other multi-platform cricket rights controlled by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The company holds the rights to premier sports properties such as Pro Kabaddi League, Indian Super League Football as well as various international rights including Tennis Grand Slam Wimbledon Championships and the English Premier League.

Disney Star operates a portfolio of more than 70 television channels in India that cut across general entertainment, films, sports, infotainment, kids and lifestyle content reaching 90 per cent of pay cable and satellite TV homes in the region.

The company’s OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar has 100 local original titles in the pipeline with over 80 originals slated to premier this fiscal year. Last year, seven out of the top ten most popular Hindi subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) entertainment series in India were Hotstar Specials. “Disney+ Hotstar has changed the way Indians watch their entertainment – from favourite locally produced original TV shows to global blockbuster films,” said Campbell.

June 15, 2022
Value creation is the prism through which we evaluate sports: Rahul Johri

Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises president business for South Asia Rahul Johri stated that the company evaluates every sports property through the prism of value creation for its stakeholders. It was the only Indian company that participated in the recently concluded e-auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights from 2023-2027.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sold the media rights to the IPL for the next five years for a total of Rs 48,390 crore or Rs 118 crore per match for 410 matches. Disney Star retained the TV broadcast rights, while Viacom18 claimed the digital broadcast rights and shared the international broadcast rights with Times Internet. Zee was a contender for the digital broadcast rights.

In his statement, Johri congratulated BCCI for running an extremely efficient and transparent e-auction process. He said, “We are grateful to the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, honourable secretary Jay Shah, and treasurer Arun Dhumal for their able leadership and unwavering support in enabling Zee’s participation in the IPL media rights tender process.”

He stated that Zee will focus on value creation for its stakeholders over everything else and will continue to evaluate every sports property through the same prism.

Zee is currently in the process of completing a merger with Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India who was a contender for the IPL TV broadcast rights.

June 15, 2022
BCCI announces an increase in the monthly pensions of former cricketers and umpires

MUMBAI: At a time when the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) e-auction is making the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) richer by over Rs 46,000 crore, the board has announced a hike in monthly pensions of former cricketers (both men and women) and former umpires. More than 75 percent of the beneficiaries will get a 100 percent raise. People getting a pension of Rs 15,000 and Rs 22,500 a month will see that amount double. The highest bracket where the pension was Rs 50,000 will see a raise to Rs 70,000.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, “It is extremely important that the financial well-being of our former cricketers is taken care of. The players remain the lifeline and as a Board, it is our duty to be by their side once their playing days are over. The umpires have been unsung heroes and the BCCI truly values their contribution.”

BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah, said: “The welfare of our cricketers be it former or present is a top priority, and increasing pension amounts is a step in that direction. The BCCI values the contribution the umpires have made over the years and this is one way to express our gratitude for their diligent services to Indian Cricket. A total of around 900 personnel will get the benefit of the scheme with more than 75 percent of the beneficiaries getting a 100 percent raise.”

BCCI honorary treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal said, “Whatever the BCCI is today, it is because of the contribution of its former cricketers and umpires. We are pleased to announce the increase in the monthly pensions which will be a gesture for the well-being of our former cricketers.”

June 14, 2022
2022 IPL media rights value touches Rs 46,700 crore on Day 2

Mumbai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights value has touched Rs 46,700 crore at the end of day two of the e-auction on Monday. The rights period is from 2023 to 2027 for 410 matches.

TV rights went for Rs 23,575 crore while digital went for Rs 20,500 crore. TV will cost Rs 57.5 crore a game while digital will cost Rs 50 crore a game. There will be at least two broadcast partners.

Two different broadcasters won the TV (Package A) and digital (Package B) broadcast rights. Reports indicate that Reliance Jio has won Package B. So far, the price of the combined TV and digital rights this year is almost three times the amount that Star India had paid in 2017.

On the second day, the price of digital rights per match rose by Rs 2 crore from Rs 48 crore at the end of day one. But the price for TV rights only rose by Rs 50 lakhs a match when the bidding resumed on the second day.

There is more drama to come. The digital non-exclusive rights (Package C) that include 98 games over five years are valued at Rs 18.5 crore per match. Bidders that did not get their hands on Package A and B may make a play for Package C. If Reliance Jio is unable to win the bid for Package C it would be unable to maximise the value of the digital broadcast rights which would be a blow to its revenue.

Package D includes the media rights for the rest of the world and is set at a base price of Rs 3 crore per match or Rs 1,110 crore over five years.

The highly anticipated auction was first announced on 29 March by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The contenders for broadcast rights included Disney Star, Sony Pictures Networks India and Viacom18. The bidders for digital rights include Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Disney+ Hotstar and Reliance Jio. Mjunction is conducting the auction.

The IPL is the second most valuable sports property after the National Football League (NFL) in terms of broadcast price per match. The value of the media rights per match has reached almost Rs 114 crore leaving the Premier League behind which is valued at around Rs 81 crore per match. The action continues tomorrow.

June 13, 2022
TAM Sports IPL 15 report: ad volumes up 11% compared to IPL 14

Mumbai: According to a TAM Sports report, ad volume in season 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL15) increased by 11 per cent per channel compared to the previous season. While ad volume increased, viewership dropped 20-25 per cent this season compared to IPL 14.

According to the research, the indexed ad volume growth in IPL 15’s eliminator was 17 per cent higher than in IPL 14’s, and the indexed growth based on average ad volume in IPL 15’s first and second play-offs was 11 per cent and 8 per cent higher than in IPL 14.

Meanwhile, ad volumes per channel grew by 9 per cent in the IPL 15 finals compared to the IPL 14 finals. Additionally, this year’s IPL included 74 live matches, compared to only 60 in IPL 14.

The report also stated that the number of categories, advertisers, and brands in IPL 15 dropped by 21 per cent, 13 per cent and 21 per cent respectively, as compared to IPL 14. IPL 15 included over 70 categories, 110 advertisers and 180 brands.

Although four of the top five categories were the same in both IPL 15 and IPL 14, four categories were common in both IPL 15 and IPL 14. In IPL 15, Ecom-Gaming came out on top, while in IPL 14, it came in second. In contrast, Ecom-Education, which was first in IPL 14, fell to fourth in IPL 15. The top five categories accounted for 39 per cent of total ad volume during IPL 15, compared to 36 per cent in IPL 14.

During IPL 15, the top five sponsors contributed 24 percent of ad volume, compared to 20 per cent in IPL 14. Between IPL 15 and IPL 14, Sporta Technologies, Think & Learn, and FX Mart were among the top five advertisers.

Dream11.com was the top advertised brand during both IPL 15 and IPL 14. In IPL 15, the top five brands accounted for 21 per cent of ad volume, while the top five brands in IPL 14 accounted for 18 per cent. The top five brands were Tata Neu App, Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi, Cred, and Meesho App

In comparison to IPL 14, this year’s match featured over 20 new categories, and 40 categories did not appear in IPL 15 compared to IPL 14. Ecom-Auto Rental Services was the most popular of the new categories, followed by Shaving System/Razor.

The report also mentioned that 10 to 20-sec ads, followed by 21 to 40-sec ads, were preferred the most during commercial breaks.

June 9, 2022
IPL media rights likely to touch Rs 50, 000-60,000 crore: Elara Capital

Mumbai: The next cycle of the cash-rich T20 League Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights is expected to touch Rs 50,000-60,000 crore during the period 2023-2028, said Elara Capital in a note on June 7.

In a statement, Elara Capital said, “Cricket may continue to enjoy such sheer dominance in India, medium-term, propped by large-lucrative properties such as the Indian Premier League (IPL). Thus, expect IPL renewal to underpin media rights growth in India, medium-term.”

The value of digital rights is expected to double. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has kept the base price for digital rights at Rs 33 crore a game. The TV rights value is expected to rise by 40-50 per cent. The base price for television is Rs 49 crore a match.

“Expect digital to see premiums of 100 per cent over the current base, while TV premiums of 40 per cent. Based on these premiums, the share of digital might rise to 50 per cent in IPL media rights. We anticipate 6 per cent and 35 per cent revenue CAGR in FY23E-28E for TV and digital, respectively,” noted the brokerage business.

According to Elara, one-third of Star’s revenue is IPL-led (TV + digital). “If Star wins IPL rights, this revenue contribution will augment to 40 per cent as digital growth will accelerate. As per our estimates, 70 per cent of Star India’s advertising-based video on demand revenue is IPL-led, with subscription video on demand revenue largely following suit,” the brokerage firm added.

The report also noted that TV viewership growth will be a challenge and growth will be in the single digits of 3-4 per cent. However, digital will fare much better.

June 8, 2022
Star Sports launches new campaign ‘#ChaseTheRecord’ with Amir Khan

Mumbai: Star Sports Network has launched a new campaign, #ChaseTheRecord, featuring Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan.

Created and conceptualized by the in-house team at Star Sports, the campaign film showcases Aamir Khan donning the team India jersey while echoing the chorus of fans and waiting to be part of this historic occasion.

After two months of scintillating the IPL auction, T20 cricket continues as team India is all set to create history in a five-match T20 International series against South Africa. India will look to accomplish a 13-0 winning streak during the first T20I when the bilateral series gets underway on 9 June 2022, live and exclusive on the Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar. The campaign aims to magnify this idea.

Speaking of the campaign, Star Sports spokesperson said, “Following an exciting IPL, the focus now shifts to bilateral series which brings back the ‘Believe In Blue’ narrative as team India plays for another world record. The campaign puts into perspective the tremendous fan support and belief the country has behind the Men In Blue. This will be a continuing journey across the calendar of events that lead to the main ICC T20 World Cup later this year. Aamir Khan was a natural fit for this film, and he has been exceptional in making the clarion call to viewers and fans to back the Men In Blue.”

On being a part of this campaign, actor Aamir Khan said, “There’s always a very special feeling when team India is in action. This time, they come together post franchise cricket to play for India and for the world record of thirteen consecutive T20I wins. Like we cheer a bowler, as he starts his run up before a hat-trick, similarly it’s time to cheer for our boys-in-blue before this historic moment! I have blocked my time from 7 PM on 9 June 2022 like all the other fans for the opening match and I’m ready to cheer for my team consisting of some amazing young and deserving talent who have proven their mettle in the IPL.”

May 27, 2022
“FanCode is focused on delivering value to our users”: Yannick Colaco

Mumbai: India’s premier digital sports destination FanCode is initiating a slew of new offerings on its platform. FanCode deals in three major areas like live content, sports statistics, analysis and commerce.

Under the umbrella of Dream Sports, FanCode was launched to change the dynamics of sports consumption in India. The platform offers live streaming, sports data, analytics, statistics, a merchandising store, tour passes, expert analysis, opinions and the latest sports news.

The company is led by co-founders Yannick Colaco and Prasana Krishnan. Both worked together at sports broadcaster Nimbus Sports until 2013. Colaco went on to join the National Basketball Association (NBA) while Krishnan joined Sony Pictures Networks India.

Colaco was part of the international leadership team of the NBA and managing director of its India business. He spent the next six years driving the grassroots development of the basketball sport in India, setting up a full-fledged NBA Academy and building partnerships across licensing, content and marketing initiatives. He was also instrumental in bringing the first-ever NBA Games to India.

A consummate sports enthusiast, Colaco has been in the sports and media industry for two decades. In his view, avid sports fans in the country were underserviced when it came to accessibility to sports content. The consumption of sports content was fragmented across multiple platforms.

He joined forces with Krishnan in 2019 to launch their entrepreneurial venture with a commitment to give sports fans a highly personalised and unified experience of sports content.

Colaco told Indiantelevision.com that FanCode’s goal is to “redefine the way sports fans follow their favourite sports by creating a more integrated and immersive experience as well as by giving them greater access to a wide variety of sports content.”

In an in-depth conversation with journalist Ashwin Pinto, FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco spoke about the company’s progress, challenges, trends in the sports business, acquisitions, expansion plans and more.

Edited Excerpts:

On the progress, FanCode has achieved

FanCode focuses on redefining the way sports fans follow their favourite sports by creating a more integrated and immersive experience. It gives them access to a wide variety of sports content. Our greatest ally in delivering on this is the ability to unlock the potential of digital for sports fans.

Since 2019, the company has significantly upgraded the viewer’s experience by integrating key services which are fundamental to their ability to follow their favourite sports. The services supply include live scores & commentary, live stream & video on demand, match insights & analytics, and official fan merchandise. All of this while supplying fans access to live streams of over 350 events and over 50,000 hours of live content. We are thrilled at the way sports fans have embraced our product and we now have over fifty million users on FanCode.

On the challenges faced by FanCode and its determination to be a standalone product

FanCode is focused on delivering value to its users. Every offering that this company provides has been predicated. Given the response received so far, its viewers see value in having an integrated experience, rather than having to access multiple products to follow the same match or event.

Fortunately, having an amazing team of FanCoders, including some of the best talents in the country, who have met the challenges head-on and continue to deliver amazing results, FanCode is blessed to meet all its product and technological challenges and give a seamless experience.

Indian sports fans have limited access to great sports content. An integrated solution before the launch of FanCode did not exist overseas. Some companies do provide streaming of sports content but are limited to offering news and analysis. Earlier, the experience for the viewers was broken.

On FanCode’s business model as an SVOD platform and cracking micro-transactions

Paying for content on digital platforms is still very new in India. Realising the need for paid users at a very early stage FanCode worked on a priority basis in expanding the ecosystem. As per the feedback received, the company found out that the largest constraints were not willing to pay even for the entry tickets. To address these, it took a page out of the hugely successful sachet pricing strategy of FMCGs in India and gave fans the ability to buy matches and events, instead of buying only monthly and annual packages. The company has also invested significantly in building technology around an in-house subscription service which created an exceptionally smooth and seamless purchase experience.

Results have been great with a rapidly growing number of transacting users. What’s also remarkably interesting is that many match and tour subscribers come back to buy multiple times and even upgrade to annual packages.

On offering sports fans a personalised experience

For Fancode success is about users’ seamless experience. For example, if you’re a fan of Virat Kohli, you should be able to watch him bat, watch replays of his best shots, access his stats in the current match and his career, chat with other Kohli fans, and buy his jersey; all inside the same experience with minimal friction.

Personalisation of experience is an extremely important part and thus the focus is exactly on where to invest significant resources over the next year. Sports fans wear their allegiance on their sleeves and are happy to talk about who they support. It is the company’s job to take this data and build technology solutions to provide a customised experience for higher engagement.

On setting new trends in sports consumption

The migration of fans from traditional modes of sports consumption like linear TV, newspapers, etc., to digital channels, has been phenomenal and this continues at a rapid pace. With this migration, the expectation of what a fan should have access to has also grown. Fans want to access scores, live matches, highlights, and stats. They want everything packaged in bite sizes and they want it at once.

On its foray into streaming sports content

There is absolutely no doubt that there is a significant growth in fandom for sports in general across India. As FanCode continues to expand the range of events and sports that are featured, a lot of growth in other sports is also observed, which were previously underserved.

There is some particularly good traction in partnership with Major League Baseball and the J League (football) as well as the remarkable thing is that every user who consumes these on this platform is authenticated and not just a blip on a rating scale. For FanCode, it becomes easy to improvise by having an amazing opportunity to build a direct relationship with consumers and get real-time feedback.

On the acquisition strategy behind FanDuniya

The acquisition of FanDuniya helped in strengthening sports statistics and analytics offering under FC stats. It helps to build one of the largest stat hubs. FanCode will continue to explore these opportunities to help create more value for the users.

On launching its merchandising store FanCode Shop

Sports merchandise has been a significantly underserved market in India. As sports fandom has grown the demand for fan gear has increased. There are other many elements to consider including ranges of fan gear, styling, name and number gear, fit, pricing, etc. and honestly, the market has been ignorant of most of these.

FanCode spent a significant amount of time with the teams and leagues it partnered with, which caters to fans across the country and now has over 30 sports brands with more than 800 products. Making fan gear, and variations of it, accessible and affordable has been an important part of growing the ecosystem.

It has partnered with several sports leagues and teams for their licensed merchandise and worked with official partners of many of the other leagues and teams which enabled it to be a comprehensive destination for fan merchandising including 10 IPL teams, NBA, Manchester City FC, Liverpool FC, FC Barcelona, Bengaluru FC, MotoGP and WWE. We also improvise our technology to innovate and deliver rapid turnaround times in both the creation and distribution of fan gear, ensuring that fans will have the latest, most topical designs of their favourite sports brands and teams.

May 27, 2022