ITV

Tag: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

  • IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants launch new jersey

    IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants launch new jersey

    MUMBAI: Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS), the new entrant in the ninth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), unveiled the team’s official jersey in striking new colours in New Delhi today, in the presence of the team owner RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka and team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The team management also announced the appointment of ex-Indian cricketer Hrishikesh Kanitkar as the assistant coach of the side.

    Speaking on the occasion Goenka said, “On behalf of the entire family of Rising Pune Supergiants, I would like to congratulate the team’s think tank for putting up a formidable side for the upcoming season of IPL. With so many achievers and successful cricketers in our ranks we look forward to a solid performance and some electrifying camaraderie on field. Pune has a very strong fan base and they appreciate good cricket, we are looking forward to a new home and come April, the city of Pune will have their own team to cheer for.”

    Dhoni spoke about his new role as the captain of RPS, saying, “I am looking forward to a new experience with the RPS. IPL has always been the breeding ground for new exciting talents who have the potential to play vital part in the future for the Indian Cricket Team. This year we have a very balanced side with the right combination of youth and experience which is essential for any team to succeed. We have got some big hitters and players who know to bind the innings together by putting on partnerships. Both batting and bowling unit looks good on paper but consistent performance will be the yardstick for judging the team. I am really looking forward to working with the new team management and hopefully we can make the people of Pune happy with our performance.”

    RPS logo and jersey rationale 

    The elements used in the jersey connote the dynamism and ‘ever-rising’ spirit of the team RPS. The colours used are vibrant and complement each other in bringing out the winning attitude of the team. Of the colours on the jersey, purple in particular makes a statement of superiority and brings out the energy of this team of stars. “The orange colour signifies the team’s firm determination and enthusiasm to break every barrier, thus winning every game. The bold look of the jersey reflects the confidence and ability of this team of star players who have their sights set firmly on success,” said an official statement from RPS.

    The word ‘Rising’ at a deeper level traces back to the free spirit of ‘Pune’ that never bowed down before any odds. Moreover, it also depicts the heights of excellence and success the new team will achieve being studded with ‘Super’ players like Dhoni, Ashwin, and Smith. Every player in the team is a star who shines bright in every battle, giving their best under pressure. In that sense they are also ‘Giants’ with extraordinary stature, performing astonishing feats.

    The logo has a regal feel and its visual elements are an amalgamation of cricketing equipment like the bat, the ball and the bails. The wings impart an overall impression of ‘soaring high’ while the bold font provides a sense of solidity. The purple colour of the ball signifies the energy and stability of the team.

    RPS will be having ex-New Zealand Skipper Stephen Fleming as the Coach of the side. The team will also have a professional CEO in Raghu Iyer, who is a Sports, Media and Entertainment professional with 21 years of invaluable experience. Prior to joining the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, he was with Rajasthan Royals since its inception.

  • Masters Champions League signs Oxigen Wallet as title sponsor

    Masters Champions League signs Oxigen Wallet as title sponsor

    NEW DELHI: The Dubai based Masters Champions League (MCL) has signed up Oxigen Wallet as the title sponsor for its inaugural edition, which is slated to start later this month. 

     

    The Oxigen Masters Champions League will feature six teams of retired international cricketers and will kick start on 28 January with the final match to be staged on 13 February.

     

    The tournament will see Oxigen and MCL cooperate extensively in terms of sports events, on-ground activations and marketing campaigns.

     

    The inaugural matches are due to take place at Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

     

    Grand Midwest Sports, the group that conceptualised and began the tournament did so with an aim to take cricket to a higher level across the UAE.

     

    Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, MCL chairman Zafar Shah said, “We are delighted to have Oxigen joining us as the title sponsor for MCL, which will now be called Oxigen MCL. They are one of the most innovative brands in the world for pioneering the genre of wallet led payments in the online and offline industry. Oxigen as a brand has in a very short span created a niche and legacy in their market. I am sure this will be a long and enriching affiliation for both stakeholders.”

     

    Last week, Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) hopped on board as the official broadcaster for the Indian sub-continent. The MCL has also secured Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the current captain of the Indian national cricket team, as brand ambassador. 

     

    The first match will take place between two former legendary teammates namely, Sourav Ganguly from Team Libra Legends and Virender Sehwag from Team Gemini Arabians.

     

    On becoming the title sponsors of MCL2020, Oxigen Services chairman and managing director Pramod Saxena said, “Oxigen is proud to partner with Masters Champions League 2020 as their Title Sponsor. Our love for cricket is a constant as it connects us to the masses being a cricket loving nation. With MCL 20-20, we will further Oxigen’s global reach by touching the lives of the NRIs living in the Gulf and other parts of the world, who can fulfil the needs of small payments for their families in India for money transfers, recharges and utility payments.”

  • Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Six acquires MCL rights

    Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Six acquires MCL rights

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (formerly Multi Screen Media) has bagged the exclusive telecast rights to the first edition of the Masters Champions League (MCL), a T20 cricket league, which is slated to begin on 28 January, 2016.

    Further expanding its bouquet of international sporting events, Sony Six will telecast all the 18 matches of the inaugural edition of the tournament live and exclusive from Dubai and Sharjah across the Indian sub-continent.

    The MCL has also roped in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the current captain of the Indian national cricket team as the brand ambassador. Six teams will take part in the tournament led by an iconic player and each team has been named after zodiac signs, such as Libra, Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo, Capricorn and Leo.

    The first MCL match has been scheduled with two former teammates, Sourav Ganguly from Libra Legends and Virender Sehwag from Gemini Arabians, leading their teams to play against each other at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS). Iconic players like Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Adam Gilchrist, Paul Collingwood, Brett Lee, Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara among others have also been drafted in the MCL teams. The final match of the MCL will also be staged at the DICS on 13 February, 2016.

    Commenting on the acquisition Sony Six and Kix business head Prasana Krishnan said, “Most fans have grown up watching these International and Indian legends play and the tournament gives them an opportunity to connect with them again. Viewers of Sony Six can look forward to some great cricketing action and we are excited to partner with the Masters Champions League as a result.”

    MCL chief executive director Sam Khan added, “We are delighted that we are partnering with Sony Six. They have an outstanding reputation as a sports broadcaster and have played an integral role in promoting and growing the game. We are very confident that they will do all that is necessary to do the same for the MCL.”

    The acquisition of MCL further adds to the network’s line-up of live cricket T20 events, which presently include the Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL), Karnataka Premier League, Ram Slam T20 Challenge and Caribbean Premier League.

    MCL launched the official ticket sales of the tournament earlier this week with the brand ambassador Dhoni giving a special video message to fans.

  • MS Dhoni named brand ambassador for Grand Midwest Group

    MS Dhoni named brand ambassador for Grand Midwest Group

    NEW DELHI: Eminent cricketer and Test captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named as the brand ambassador of Dubai based hotel chain The Grand Midwest Group.

     

    The contract with Dhoni is initially for three years, and this will be his first international endorsement.

     

    The Grand Midwest Group has been established by Emirati businessman Zafar Shah Khan. It comprises hotels and hotel apartments across Dubai, Ireland and UK.

     

    The company currently owns a cricket league in the United Arab Emirates by the name of MCL (Masters Champion League), which will commence in 2016.

  • Virat Kohli gets into overdrive with social media venture Sport Convo

    Virat Kohli gets into overdrive with social media venture Sport Convo

    MUMBAI: Cricketers today are also proving to be smart businessmen, whether it’s the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni or the cricket sensation Virat Kohli.
     
    When he’s not busy hitting boundaries and sixes on field, he’s busy eyeing business ventures that catch his fancy. Kohli, who invested in the social media start-up Sport Convo last year, is of the opinion that sport benefits greatly from social media, which is one of the reasons why he invested in the London-based company. What’s more, Sport Convo, which aims to bridge the gap between sports stars and fans, has got off to a good start.

    The ICC World Cup 2015 and the on-going Indian Premier League (IPL) raked in numerous impressions on social media platforms  like Twitter and Facebook, where fans discussed various important moments that changed the course of the game. With social media proliferation, niche websites such as Social Convo, catering to specific fields are likely to crop up sooner rather than later.
     
    The Indian cricketer, who has more than 30 million fans on social media platforms, will be using his fan base to promote the venture. Catering to a niche, the sport-specific social media – Sport Convo’s website promises exciting gifts for fans who register in the initial stages. Additionally, Kohli also tweeted that one lucky fan will receive a bat signed by him.



    Kohli was quoted in media reports as saying, “Sport Convo was particularly attractive to me as my belief is sport benefits greatly from social media. It provides fans with the opportunity to showcase their opinion and passion for the game. It also allows me to communicate with my fans quickly and efficiently, which is important because as a professional cricketer, I am always on the go. Sport Convo stood out for me and delivers all of this and beyond and that’s why I opted to back this business venture.”
     
    The website also has a ‘Shop’ link, signifying that Sport Convo will not just be limited to conversation but will also venture into the merchandising business. Currently the website only features one product – a ‘Convo’ branded cap, which can be purchased anytime soon. Kohli has been spotted wearing a similar cap on numerous occasions.
     
    Apart from Kohli, the venture has also roped in England hard-hitting batsman Alex Hales, who would be endorsing the brand. Hales will be sporting the Sport Convo’s logo on his bat.
     
    Sports Convo is also looking at roping in more sports stars on board and the conversation will not be restricted to cricket.

    So far the company, founded by Vishal Patel, Amrit Johal, Praveen Reddy and Jasneel Nagi, is a sports star driven social media platform, which will also have an e-store for fans to buy products promoted by their sports heroes.
     

    Observers believe that the merchandising business which the site has flagged off might well explode into a lucrative one. However, they doubt whether enough fans will get on to the social media platform to chat and connect with each other because of the growth and growth of Facebook. Another social media platform in the US fanbase.com recently announced that it would shut because it had not managed to crack a business model to monetise on the 15 million sports lovers who were logging on every month.

    A sports journo however begs to differ. “Fanbase.com was founded by two young entrepreneurs with investors. They did not have any sports person backing them online to drive conversation. SportConvo however has Virat with his feet firmly entrenched in the venture. And he is driving it through his social following, posting videos, tweets and doling out give aways. I can only see it being a winner all the way in every way.”

    It now remains to be seen if the briskly scoring Kohli succeeds to drive enough fans to Sports Convo and turn it into a resounding success.

     

     

     

     

  • Sony Six hopes for improved NBA viewership with Bhullar’s debut

    Sony Six hopes for improved NBA viewership with Bhullar’s debut

    MUMBAI: Toronto born Indian Gursimran Bhullar (SIM) is all set to make his National Basketball League (NBA) debut with Sacramento Kings. He will be the first player of Indian origin to feature in NBA.

     

    Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports channel Sony Six is the official broadcaster of NBA in India and the Indian’s debut in NBA will boost viewership for Sony too. Talking about Bhullar’s debut, Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “Sim is now a part of Sacramento Kings and would hopefully play on Monday as speculated. It would be a historic event and would hopefully be a big boost for Basketball and NBA in India.”

     

    In various schools and colleges across India we see kids playing cricket on basketball court with dreams to become Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly or Mahendra Singh Dhoni. While, India has a many idols to follow when it comes to cricket, there is serious crisis when it comes to other sports and especially basketball. Micheal Jordan, Kobe Bryant were inspiration for hardcore basketball fans but lack of local connect always played the spoil sport. Bhullar’s NBA debut will certainly lay foundation in bridging the local connect gap.

     

    NBA India in association with Sony Six has already started many initiatives to popularise the sport at the grassroots level. A few among them being, school and college basketball leagues, roping in Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan as the brand ambassador of the sport and his participation in the NBA-All star game. The activities have so far been able to rejuvenate the sport in India.

     

    When asked about the historical debut of Bhullar and its impact on Indian NBA growth, NBA India managing director Yannik Colaco told indiantelevision.com, “I think Sim’s NBA debut is one of the few points that may ignite the growth of the sport in India. We have been making a lot of efforts to popularise the sport at a grassroots level by providing advanced facilities to the aspirants. NBA now is an established venture amongst Indian sports and is growing thick and fast. Sim’s debut is a great moment for Indian history and we should have more Indians playing at the top level.”

     

    After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Bhullar joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2014 NBA Summer League. On 14 August 2014, he signed with the Kings, becoming the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA team. However, he was later waived by the Kings on 19 October 2014. On 2 November 2014, he was acquired by the Reno Bighorns as an affiliate player.  Bhullar made his D-League debut on 6 December with 4 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks in Reno’s 141–140 loss to the Los Angeles D-Fenders. On 22 February 2015, he recorded his first career triple-double with 26 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocked shots against the D-Fenders.  On 2 April 2015, Bhullar signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings.

     

    “It’s a big moment in the history of the NBA and the history of my country in India. I know my family’s going to be proud of me and everybody’s going to be proud of me and cheer me on the court,” Bhullar had earlier told the Associated Press.

  • A livid M S Dhoni offers to quit as CSK skipper

    A livid M S Dhoni offers to quit as CSK skipper

    MUMBAI: After speculation around his association with the match-fixing and betting scandal in the sixth edition of the Indian Premiere League (IPL), India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is miffed and has offered to step down as captain for the Chennai Super Kings, if reports are to be believed.

     

    According to media reports, the Indian captain spoke to N. Srinivasan, now suspended by the Supreme Court as the BCCI chief, and offered to step down as skipper and a vice-president of India Cements.

     

    Harish Salve, the counsel for Bihar cricket association chief Aditya Verma, on Thursday accused Dhoni of giving false statements to the Mudgal committee about the role of Gurunath Meiyappan in Chennai Super Kings.

     

    Dhoni has led the team in yellow for the past six editions of the IPL, captaining the team to the title twice.

     

    The Team India skipper, currently in Dhaka for the T20 World Cup, is “extremely disappointed and annoyed” that his name has been dragged into the spot-fixing controversy.

  • Madras HC restrains Zee Media, News Nation in defamation suit filed by MS Dhoni

    Madras HC restrains Zee Media, News Nation in defamation suit filed by MS Dhoni

    MUMBAI: It’s Rs 100 crore and we aren’t talking about any Bollywood movie.  It is about a defamation suit filed by Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni against two news channel networks Zee Media Corporation and News Nation and also against suspended IPS officer G Sampath Kumar.

     

    Dhoni has filed the suit in the Madras High Court claiming that the three parties had made highly defamatory, scandalous, libelous and malicious false reports about his involvement in the IPL betting scandal.

     

    According to a report in The Hindu, an interim order has been passed by justice S Tamilvanan restraining the two news networks from broadcasting any news linking Dhoni with the betting scam for a period of two weeks.

     

    The reports that were broadcast by the news networks revolved around IPL team Chennai Super Kings, of which Dhoni is the captain, and his alleged involvement in match fixing, which, the suit said, has devastated his reputation and image in the eyes of millions of fans all over the world.

     

    When contacted, Zee Media Corp CEO Alok Agrawal said, “We have done nothing wrong. The allegations are baseless. Our lawyers are working on it and we will be fighting the case till the end.”

     

    One the other hand, the one-year old News Nation’s CEO Shailesh Kumar said he is awaiting a copy of the court’s interim order and that the news broadcaster is yet to rope in a lawyer to defend itself.

     

    The Hindu report also said Dhoni claims the news reports were done with an intention to project him as an object of hate and ridicule.

     

    Dhoni has also claimed a total of Rs 100 crore as damages from the three defendants.

  • DDB MudraMax OOH refreshes brand Star Sports

    DDB MudraMax OOH refreshes brand Star Sports

    MUMBAI: STAR India recently revamped the branding of the sports network and unveiled a new brand for Star Sports across six channels — Star Sports 1, 2, 3, 4, HD1 and HD2 and starsports.com.

    To create the awareness and buzz for the new brand identity and to communicate the new brand philosophy – Believe, Star Sports partnered with DDB MudraMax OOH.

    The campaign was rolled out when India tuned in to watch Sachin Tendulkar play the last series of his sports career. The massive OOH campaign was executed in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata as well as across major cities in Gujarat and UP. The campaign used multiple visuals of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as well as the brand logo as part of the campaign creative.

    On the campaign, STAR India executive vice president marketing & communications Gayatri Yadav said, “The work done by DDB MudraMax OOH for the brand refresh campaign has been outstanding. The DNA and essence of the brand refresh was well understood and reflected in the manner in which the planning and media selection was done by the agency. Especially the Star Sports zone and roadblocks conceptualized and executed at Mumbai and Delhi airports are noteworthy and have created a great impact and buzz for the refresh. We are very impressed with the positive reviews received for the campaign. DDB MudraMax has delivered on our expectations yet again.”

    Commenting on this, DDB MudraMax OOH retail and experiential president Mandeep Malhotra said, “Sport is very close to my heart and when the opportunity to associate with a brand standing tall to the passion came up, was really thrilled to create magic. The team did a wonderful job on picking up unusual formats of advertising. Various touch points were exploited and the new identity made it to top of mind recall with a smooth transition.”

    DDB MudraMax OOH VP Spencer Noronha added, “Star Sports aimed at starting a revolution in sports broadcasting and the media strategy was to amplify this sports revolution through an occasion that is relevant to all and thus inspire every Indian sports fan. This soul of this campaign was “premium and classy” and hence it was crucial that the media selection had to be in line with that imagery. We selected the most impactful, most premium and the largest of available media vehicles in each of the target cities to create a statement in the OOH space. The quality of the selected media reflected class and helped the campaign to quickly get noticed and talked about. The eye catching creatives amplified the impact and recall manifold. It’s definitely one of the most memorable OOH campaigns in 2013”

    DDB MudraMax OOH DGM Anurudha Pawar said, “OOH is a communication platform where the brand is racing against time to grab attention and communicate with the TG while he zooms past the media within a few seconds. This makes it all the more important for the brand to use the right media mix and deploy an optimized communication tailor made for the medium. We exactly did this for the refresh campaign. The media vehicles were meticulously handpicked to project class; and the creatives were kept ultra outdoor friendly to specifically communicate the grandeur of the brand. We took the innovative branding route by creating the Star Sports Zone, Stadium visibility corridors and airport roadblocks, to ensure each and every person exposed to the communication carried a positive image of the brand with him in this mind. I am sure we have succeeded doing that.”

    A multimedia approach was used for the campaign. Large format A+ grade billboards and Unipoles, Backlit Bus Shelters, Backlit Pole Kiosks, 4 Sided Backlit Pillars, Large Backlit Glow signs, Drape, Prominent Mall Facades, Digital Screens at airports and Gantries were meticulously selected at key touch points in each city. The creatives were optimized for each of the media formats used. DDB MudraMax also brought in a couple of significant planning and media innovations to help portray the grandeur of the brand refresh and garner high recall value for the campaign. Visual domination was the key.

  • Wanted to become a soldier, became a cricketer: Dhoni

    Wanted to become a soldier, became a cricketer: Dhoni

    MUMBAI: The Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is making news again, after getting a new Mohawk look, he now reveals that he wanted to become a soldier since childhood. He used to visit Ranchi Kent area but destiny intervened, and he became a cricketer.

    Dhoni spent a day with military personnel in the Parachute Regiment and AajTak captured these special moments. He spoke with soldiers, learned a lot from them; saw what kind of military attack during the turn lock on the front is conducted. Dhoni is fond of shooting targets at a shooting range and heavily planted. Every shot was perfectly fitted to Dhoni, Dhoni smiled but missed once. In these talks Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that he is very afraid of heights. He said it came from the bottom up, “The uniform is something special. Maybe this is all in the uniform, I was not afraid.”

    Dhoni after the evening tea party did some singing and dancing with the troops. On being asked how does he manage to keep his cool Dhoni joked, “The day I have to press conference, a day before that I go and sit in the fridge, that’s how I always remain cool.”

    Dhoni’s emotional side also came about, when he met with the widows and the children of the soldiers. Dhoni spent time with the children of military widows, and met with all their demands and also gave autographs and posed for pictures.