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Tag: Lancer Capital

  • Zee to go the whole hog with DP World ILT20 cricket league in 2025

    Zee to go the whole hog with DP World ILT20 cricket league in 2025

    MUMBAI: Sports is what it had let go of more than a decade or so ago. Now Zee Entertainment is making a big-bang entry back into it. The entertainment giant announced today that it will be telecasting the DP World International League T20 (ILT20) on 15 of its channels, on Zee5 and on its syndicate partners’ TV and digital networks across the world from 11 January 2025 for the month long cricket fiesta. 

    Among the channels it will be telecasting the matches include: &Pictures SD, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema 2, Zee Action, Zee Biskope, Zee Zest SD, Zee Cinemalu HD, Zee Telugu HD, Zee Thirai, Zee Tamil HD, Zee Kannada HD, Zee Zest HD, &Flix SD, &Flix HD. The DPL ILT20 tournament will also be free to view on one of India’s leading OTT platforms – Zee5. 

    A press release issued by the network states that the idea is to capture a viewership of 230 million just from India. What will help it get there is the fact that the tournament will be shown on its southern language channels as well, expanding its reach exponentially. 

    The matches will take place at three iconic UAE locations – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – starting from 11 January  to 9 February 2025.

    “Zee is delighted to present third season of DP World ILT20 to cricket fans in India and across the globe, offering an electrifying experience across our 15 linear TV channels and OTT platform, Zee5,” says Zee chief growth officer-digital & broadcast revenue. “With some of the finest players, iconic stadiums and top sporting franchises, we aim to elevate the cricket carnival experience, building on last year’s success and cementing the league’s status as the second most watched T20 cricket league globally.” 

    DP World ILT20, in its second season, drew 200,000 attendees over 34 games. The league is the second most-watched T20 cricket league globally, with a total of 348 million unique viewers from around the world, including a staggering 221 million viewers from India. With a notable 46 per cent share of female viewership and 55 per cent share of youth viewership, the league’s broad appeal in India underscores its status as household entertainment, says the press release.

    “The difference between DPL World ILT20 and IPLT20 is that each of the franchises can have more international players on the teams in our league. The IPL has by its construct more Indian players in each team,” Sehgal had told news channel Wion during an interview earlier this week. 

    The existing roster continues to be strong with the presence of players like David Warner, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga and Jake Fraser McGurk among others.

    The franchise-style tournament DP World ILT20 comprises six teams: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Knight Riders Group), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR Group), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriorz (Capri Global).

    The previous edition was won by MI Emirates.

  • UAE’s International League T20 to be held in Jan-Feb 2023

    UAE’s International League T20 to be held in Jan-Feb 2023

    Mumbai: Emirates Cricket Board has confirmed that the inaugural ILT20 League will be held between 6 January to 12 February 2023. The new league will be called ‘International League T20 (ILT20)’.

    Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Emirates Cricket Board chairman Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said, “Emirates Cricket Board is delighted to welcome Reliance Industries, Kolkata Knight Riders, Capri Global, GMR, Lancer Capital, Adani Sportsline, broadcaster ZEE and all other stakeholders to the newly established T20 League of UAE. Such illustrious, experienced names and entities as partners bode well for the UAE T20 League. Through the commitment of these partners, they have demonstrated confidence in the Emirates Cricket Board as we take the game into the future.”

    “As we begin this long journey, I am confident that together we will achieve new heights and in the process provide entertainment and excitement to the millions of fans around the globe who are waiting for the first ball of the UAE T20 League to be bowled. On behalf of the ECB let me assure everyone that whilst being entertained on the field with cricket, you will also be entertained by our traditional UAE hospitality off the field,” he added.

    The six-team franchise-style league will be played over a 34-match schedule at world-renowned, world-class venues in UAE.  

    The tournament will also provide a valuable platform for Emirates Cricket to take developing their local talent to a higher level, where UAE-based players currently integrated into the board’s program, as well as those identified by the high-performance coaching and selection committee teams, will be allowed to train and play alongside some of the world’s best minds of today’s game.

    ILT20 chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said, “Emirates Cricket, and the UAE, has a proven history of identifying and embracing initiatives that underpin the success of the game. It is vitally important that through this tournament UAE-based players continue to flourish which is one of the objectives of this league.”

    He further added, “The ILT20 wishes to thank His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Chairman of ECB for his unstinting support to UAE cricket which, under his guidance, has been growing from strength to strength. We look forward to introducing to the world a T20 event that will provide unmatched competition and entertainment to the ardent followers of this game.”

    Selection Committee – Emirates Cricket Board chairman Dr Tayeb Kamali said, “The annual ILT20 event presents an excellent exposure for our players given the highly intense and competitive nature of the league. Each of the six teams in the 34-match tournament provides a wonderful opportunity for our young cricketers to play competitive cricket with world-class players.”

    “Further, such a unique international league would play a big role in attracting and nurturing a larger pool of players who will go on to represent the UAE in the years to come. We look forward to the inaugural event and our players taking full advantage of the opportunity,” he said.

  • ZEE signs global media rights contract with UAE’s T20 league

    ZEE signs global media rights contract with UAE’s T20 league

    Mumbai: UAE’s T20 league today announced the signing of a long-term global media rights contract with global media and entertainment powerhouse Zee. The league will air exclusively on Zee’s linear channels and its OTT platform Zee5, in India and across the world.

    UAE’s T20 league is a professional cricket tournament comprising six teams competing in a 34-match competition, including – Reliance Industries, Adani Sportsline, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lancer Capital, GMR Group and Capri Global.

    Zee’s strong global presence across 190+ countries will help build the reach and resonance for the league with viewers and partners. With immense synergies between its businesses and a holistic approach for advertisers and distribution partners, Zee will engage fans through a multi-platform strategy taking the league to more than 100 million households.

    UAE T20 league matches will air across Zee’s 10 linear channels in the HSM (Hindi Speaking Markets), South and East regions in English, Hindi, and Tamil languages. The league will also be simultaneously streamed live on Zee5, and radio globally.

    UAE’s T20 league chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said, “Nothing can be more satisfying than to have a credible broadcast partner like Zee associated with the league. I am thankful to both managing director & CEO Punit Goenka and president – Business South Asia Rahul Johri at Zee for having faith in this league and to grow into a commercially successful enterprise. It is further a matter of delight that Zee has decided to re-enter sports broadcasting with UAE’s T20 league being the first media rights acquisition. We are very confident that Zee has the strength of viewership to take our league to unmatched levels.”

    Johri said, “At Zee, we are delighted to be the official global media rights holder of UAE’s T20 league. We believe that the league, which is already attracting globally, the biggest cricket stars and team franchisees, will provide fantastic cricket and entertainment to viewers across the world. Zee is committed to use the strength of its platforms to take UAE’s T20 league to audiences in India and across the globe.”

    General secretary ECB Mubashshir Usmani said, “ECB wishes both UAE’s T20 league and Zee well for entering into this partnership. We recognize and appreciate the massive reach of Zee’s channels and their digital media platform which will benefit the league in terms of viewership. The tournament will also provide a valuable platform for Emirates Cricket to develop the local talent and to provide players the opportunity to train and play alongside the world’s best.”

  • Lancer Capital acquires franchise in UAE T20 League

    Lancer Capital acquires franchise in UAE T20 League

    Mumbai: Lancer Capital, a financial institution serving the blockchain industry, has made its first foray into cricket by acquiring a franchise in the UAE League.

    Lancer Capital, headed by English football club Manchester United’s co-chairman Avram Glazer, has investments in a variety of best-in-class assets. He is also the owner of the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said the statement.

    Welcoming Lancer Capital on board, UAE T20 League chairman and Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said, “To have a partner who has invested into sports properties with a long term investment perspective is a testament to the strength of the UAE T20 League’s business model and its value proposition to its stakeholders and an ode to the UAE as the destination of choice for global sports events.”

    “I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation,” stated Lancer Capital LLC chairman Avram Glazer. “UAE T20 promises to be a world-class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates.”

    “We are extremely pleased that a legendary sports owner like Avie Glazer has chosen to partner with the UAE T20 League,” said Emirates Cricket Board general-secretary Mubashshir Usmani. “Our partnership with Lancer Capital will enable us to combine fans of the two widely followed sports – football and cricket – in a never done before manner.”