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Tag: Mahesh Bhupathi

  • International Premier Tennis League announces India ticket sales

    International Premier Tennis League announces India ticket sales

    MUMBAI: The upcoming International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), along with the Micromax Indian Aces, announced that ticket sales for the Delhi leg of the inaugural league that will begin after the Diwali weekend. IPTL tickets for New Delhi will be available for sale through the Aces’ official online ticketing partner www.bookmyshow.com. Tickets will be released in phases; with close to 6,000 tickets available for sale, across price categories, during phase one.

     

    Founder of IPTL Mahesh Bhupathi commented ,“Sports fans in India are in for a treat; having the opportunity to watch all these stars at one fixed price does not exist at any tennis event across the world.”

     

    Roger Federer, 14 time Grand Slam Champion Pete Sampras, teammates Gael Monfils, Ana Ivanovic, Fabrice Santoro, and Indian players like Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna will make up the formidable Indian squad and take on the Manila Mavericks, the UAE Royals, and the Singapore Slammers during the three-day extravaganza.

     

    With ticket prices ranging from Rs 3,240 to Rs 49,680, fans ranging from students to the country’s glitterati will be able to witness some of the best names from the world of tennis. Each ticket will allow spectators to watch the three day action (6,7 and 8 December 2014).

     

    Other top stars that will play in New Delhi include Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Eugenie Bouchard, Goran Ivanisevic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Daniela Hantuchova, Tomas Berdych, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moya, Patrick Rafter, Kirsten Flipkens and Nenad Zimonjic.

     

    Micromax Informatics CMO Shubhodip Pal said, “The tickets for the three days world-class event are priced to cater to all demographics of fans in the country. Our endeavor is to offer the best spectacle for sports enthusiasts and audiences in India to witness the biggest names in professional tennis play in India.”

     

    The IPTL will come to India after charming tennis fans in the Philippines and Singapore. From New Delhi, the $1 million prize money league will travel to Dubai for its final leg from 11 to 13 December  2014.

  • Micromax crowned owners of IPTL India franchise, Indian Aces

    Micromax crowned owners of IPTL India franchise, Indian Aces

    NEW DELHI:  Micromax has been named as the owner of the Indian franchise of the first Indian Premier Tennis League (IPTL). Named ‘Indian Aces’, the team will be lead by legendary player Roger Federer. Around 80 broadcasters have been confirmed around the world for reportage of the league.

     

    While a source informed indiantelevision.com that Star India was all set to cover the event in India, IPTL COO Eric M Gottschalk said that he had permission to name just one of the broadcasters which is the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel.

     

    Marquee player Roger Federer, 14-time Grand Slam Champion Pete Sampras and teammates Gael Monfils, Ana Ivanovic, Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna and Fabrice Santoro will make up the formidable Indian squad which will commence in Delhi on 6 December and conclude on 8 December. 

     

    World number two, Rafael Nadal who was representing the team, has been forced to withdraw from the League due to injury and the need for rehab time during the off season.

     

    In a televised message, Swiss ace Roger Federer said, “Namaste India! I’m really looking forward to making my first trip to New Delhi and playing for the Micromax Indian Aces. My team tells me that there are a lot of tennis fans and my supporters in the region, so I hope you can come out and support me in December. See you there!”

     

    Meanwhile IPTL founder Mahesh Bhupathi commented, “I take this opportunity to welcome Micromax to the IPTL family as owners of the India franchise. I believe the time for innovation in tennis has come. This December, New Delhi will witness tennis action like never before – one that will change the way people enjoy the sport.” 

     

    “As a tennis fan, I am excited to see Roger and Pete play for the same team, it’s unprecedented! I think Indian sports fans are in for a real treat,” Mahesh added.

     

    Talking about the association Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma said, “I would like to congratulate Mahesh on this great initiative, and we are very excited to own the India franchise in IPTL. We are delighted to have the best names from the world of tennis with Roger Federer spearheading the challenge of Indian Aces. This partnership is part of our vision to bring India to the forefront of world class sporting events. Our long term intent is to bring a transformation for sports in India by developing world-class sports infrastructure in the country to encourage more youth to take up professional sport.”

     

    Later speaking on the sidelines to indiantelevision.com, he said that Micromax would go the full 360 degrees in promoting the event, adding that with the likes of Federer and Bhupathi there was little need for any build-up.

     

    Asked about the budget, he said that would not be a problem and Micromax will go to any level for successfully managing the team and its marketing.

     

    “The IPTL is a challenging initiative taken by Bhupathi in bringing the highest level of tennis to Asia in a competitive format and it was a privilege to partner with the organizers and team owners to make this event a great success for sports fans in India,” said  Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) president Anil Khanna.

     

    In his message, Nadal said, “I am very disappointed to announce that I will not be part of the first edition of the IPTL. I was looking forward to representing Indian Aces and playing in front of fans in New Delhi in the exciting new League. I wish the team the very best and hope to be back next year.”

      

    Bhupathi said the venue had been chosen over Mumbai because it was two and half times more than the size of the tennis court available in Mumbai.

     

    The IPTL matches will feature live entertainment, a running shot clock and many more features to ’Break the Code’ of the traditional etiquette of tennis to attract a new audience to the sport across the world.

     

    The League will feature four teams in the inaugural season before adding additional franchises to the calendar with the Indian “Aces” competing against the UAE “Royals”, Manila “Mavericks” and Singapore “Slammers” for a total prize money of USD 1 million.

     

     The IPTL format has been designed in a manner that will be very attractive to broadcasters and fans. The traditional scoring format has been changed to single-set no-add scoring which will speed up the games and allow the fans to up to 24 different players in one evening while the broadcasters for the first time, will be able to schedule predictable start and finish times of each match. Each match will consist of five sets played by different players (men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles and former Champions singles) and each game won counts as one point for the team points total – the team that wins the most games overall across the five sets wins the match.

  • Star India bags International Premier Tennis League rights

    Star India bags International Premier Tennis League rights

    MUMBAI: After the successful stint with Pro Kabaddi League, Star India is all set to promote tennis in the country.

     

    It is the broadcast partner for the Mahesh Bhupathi founded International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), which is a brand new team tennis format played across several countries in Asia with its first-ever edition to be held later this year.

     

    Sources confirmed to indiantelevision.com that Star India has bagged the rights for the new tennis league. “Who else could broadcast such a league?” says the source.

     

    All the matches will be produced in HD quality with IPTL graphics and commentary. The IPTL is a team tennis competition with $1 million in prize money featuring the best ATP and WTA players across selected cities in Asia from 28 November to 13 December 2014. The India franchise tennis team will compete with three teams from Philippines, Singapore and the UAE.

     

    UFA Sports is the exclusive marketer of the worldwide media rights of the IPTL.

     

     The official announcements are expected to be made in a few days.

     

  • IPTL appoints UFA Sports as marketer of worldwide media rights

    IPTL appoints UFA Sports as marketer of worldwide media rights

    MUMBAI: The International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) and UFA Sports have signed an extensive cooperation agreement wherein UFA Sports will act as the exclusive marketer of the media rights of the league.

     

    IPTL and UFA Sports agreement include the media rights distribution in the respective host countries as well as worldwide rights.

     

    IPTL, a brand new team tennis format, will be played across several countries in Asia. The first-ever edition will be held later this year. From 28 November to 13 December, tennis stars and legends like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras will compete in four franchise teams in Manila, Singapore, New Delhi and Dubai.

     

    The competition will feature a total of 21 Grand Slam champions and 14 current and former world number ones with a total prize money budget of over $29 million.

     

    Founder and multiple Grand-Slam winner Mahesh Bhupathi stated: “We are pleased to announce that UFA Sports will be the exclusive marketer of the worldwide media rights of the International Premier Tennis League. UFA Sports brings wide experience and a high level of expertise which will help the IPTL reach a global audience. UFA Sports is ideally placed to promote a unique concept like IPTL and we look forward a long association.”

     

    UFA Sports managing director Stefan Felsing commented, “The International Premier Tennis League is an extremely attractive, new format in the world of tennis with the potential to revolutionise the sport. We are glad to become a part of the development and to extend the UFA Sports portfolio with a high quality product.”

     

    The four teams will play a total of 24 matches in a round-robin format to determine the inaugural IPTL League Champion. Modeled after successful international sports franchise concepts, the IPTL combines world-class sports and entertainment in a format that keeps both, spectators and TV viewers completely engrossed. All matches will be produced in HD quality with IPTL graphics and commentary.

  • IPTL set to take the world of Tennis by storm

    IPTL set to take the world of Tennis by storm

    MUMBAI: Tennis is set to get a revolutionary league, the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), in which franchise teams based out of four Asian countries will compete. Each team will have six to ten players.

    The brainchild of India’s 12-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi, the IPTL is inspired by the television-friendly format of twenty-20 cricket’s Indian Premier League in India. Bhupathi is the Managing Director of the league, a property owned by his company Globosport.

    The four franchises competing in the league will be based in Bangkok, Mumbai, Dubai and Singapore. Globosport has not disclosed the names of owners of the four franchisees.

    The tennis league has the backing of a galaxy of top tennis stars. Bhupati believes the event would be television, spectator and player-friendly because of its unique model. The tourney has been branded by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic as potentially “revolutionary”.

    Tennis super stars Djokovic, Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and legends Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras will feature in the league. The inaugural edition is expected to be held in December 2014, prior to the Australian Open.
     

    “We wanted a model which was TV friendly, spectator friendly and of course player friendly. The biggest complaint in tennis has been that you have no control over the time of a match. You don’t know if a Grand Slam final will be a two-hour match or a five-hour match. Here we are guaranteeing that it will be over in a maximum of three hours, so all are excited,” Bhupathi said.

    The owners of the four team owners spent a total of $23,975,000 in an auction for players held in Dubai on Sunday.

    The format involves 24 best-of-five round robin matches that will take place in the four cities between November 28 and December 13. The matches will consist of a set each for men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles, and, if required, a legends singles tiebreak to decide the match. Unlike in a standard match of tennis, where the tiebreak would be invoked if the score reached 6-all in a set, it will be invoked if the score reaches 5-all in any set.
     

    Tennis players often complain of long season which gives them little time to rest and recover, but Bhupathi has managed to convince them to play in the league. Tennis is an individual sport, so we don’t get to play team competitions except for Davis cup and Fed Cup, so the players liked this concept of team event.

    On why Bhupathi, Justin Gimelstob, a member of the ATP board, and legend Boris Becker chose to concentrate on just Asia, Bhupathi said, “There is a big demand for tennis in the region. The players are involved in exhibition matches during the year. There’s a huge appetite for world class tennis here. That’s why the Asian cities.”

    Globosport had been working on the event for the past 15 months. “It’s not easy, since tennis is an individual sport. I spoke to a few players about the concept to make a team event where players will be bought by owners… that’s how it all started,” Bhupati expounded.

    Since India hosts just one top tier men’s event in Chennai Open and no WTA event, watching stars such as Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Djokovic in action in Indian cities would surely be a treat to watch for Indian fans.
    Bhupathi also said governing bodies of the game, both ATP and WTA, were very supportive of his project. The IPTL will share all the centrally generated revenue with each of the franchises.

    All of those factors should result in a great, winning scenario for all involved – including tennis fans – in these parts of the world which are less frequented by top players. Sunday’s draft served as another element to the excitement, and the anticipation will build as the 2014 calendar year progresses and many of these players continue writing their respective legacies.

    The first fixtures are scheduled for November 28-30 in Singapore, before the tournament moves to Bangkok (December 2-4), Mumbai (December 7-9) and finally Dubai (December 11-13).

  • Disney Channel gets talking with ‘Captain Tiao’

    Disney Channel gets talking with ‘Captain Tiao’

    MUMBAI: Back in 1989, Hollywood flick Look Who’s Talking made ‘baby talk’ fashionable. Two-and-a-half decades later, Disney UTV’s tent-pole channel, Disney, which is known for its differentiated content is taking it a step ahead.

     

    Starting 2 March, the channel will premiere a one-of-its-kind talk show called Captain Tiao to be aired every Sunday at 10:00 am.

     

    Nine-year-old Sadhil Kapoor, who won hearts with his turn in Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, will host the show as ‘Captain Tiao’. He will interact with celebrities from all walks of life, cornering them with funny, intriguing questions about their childhood fears, guilty secrets, favourite snacks et al. The Q&A will be followed by ‘Captain Tiao’ challenging the guests to perform entertaining tasks, beating him at the game.

     

    Discussions are still underway but some of the celebrities who have confirmed their appearance on the show are Mahesh Bhupathi, Jaaved Jaffrey, Kapil Sharma and Navjot Singh Sidhu. Apparently, such celebrities have been selected who inspire children and whom, they can look up to, whether in sports, entertainment or politics.

     

    Explaining the rationale behind the new show, Disney UTV Media networks content head Indrajit Ray says: “Disney Channel is always exploring different formats and content that kids as well as their families can enjoy together. It is important to keep a conversation going and surprise them with new shows that bring alive the Disney Channel promise of Express Yourself, Believe in Yourself and Follow your Dreams.” 

     

    On roping in Kapoor as ‘Captain Tiao’, he says: “What we also love about Sadhil is the fact that he is a natural – curious, energetic and uninhibited… a personification of what a child at that age should be. We sincerely believe that a child’s curiosity should not be curbed in any way and it is that environment that will eventually allow him/her to blossom and follow his/her dreams. Sadhil possesses these qualities and hence we thought it best to give him a platform to do just that.”

     

    According to Ray, brands have responded well to the show. “Our partners, having worked with us, recognise this strength that Disney brings to the table and have collaborated with us in creating many successful partnerships,” he says.

     

    Asked about the Sunday slot, he says: “At Disney Channel, we believe in creating shows that appeal to both kids and their families. We have historically seen Sunday mornings as a band where the entire family can come to enjoy shows on TV together as a unit.”

     

    This isn’t the first time Disney has tried its hand at differentiated content; earlier too, it has aired shows such as Best of Luck Nikki, The Suite Life of Karan and Kabir, and Disney Q.

     

    However, ‘Captain Tiao’ is not only being seen as continuing the tradition but also as an experiment in short-format shows in live action.

  • Bhupathi, Fuller team up to launch XIX Globosport

    MUMBAI: Tennis doubles player Mahesh Bhupathi‘s Globosport and media entrepreneur Simon Fuller‘s XIX Entertainment have launched a new venture named XIX Globosport to capitalise on the two partners strengths in media, entertainment and tennis.

    The new partnership has been created to extend relationships and create new opportunities in developing markets around the world, with the burgeoning sports and entertainment opportunities in India and the Middle East in particular providing an exciting backdrop to the enterprise.

    In July last year, Globosport had divested 50 per cent stake in its brand-advisory business vertical to American talent management major Platinum Rye Entertainment.

    The venture‘s first client will be tennis World No. 2 Andy Murray and the venture is expected to contract with the respected tennis agent and former ATP professional Ugo Colombini to provide on the ground tennis support and specialist resourcing for the player as he challenges for major honours during the 2013 ATP Calendar.

    Fuller is best known for creating the ‘Idol‘ singing based reality show franchise which has become popular globally. XIX Entertainment has managed Murray since 2007 during which time he has become a national hero and a global sports star, enjoying breakthrough moments including winning Olympic Gold at London 2012 and a historic first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2012.

    Murray said, “I believe a mix of Simon‘s experience and Mahesh‘s understanding of the sport will create the perfect team for my off court interests and will allow me to continue to dedicate myself and focus on my goals on the court.”

    Bhupathi said, “The opportunities for us in these markets are now second to none, and being in partnership with a successful and pioneering individual like Simon is very exciting. He has a vision for this part of the world and we are excited that he has chosen to partner us.”

    Fuller said, “Our business is built on strategic partnerships with key individuals in different parts of the world and I’m delighted to be working with Mahesh as we look to expand into the Indian sub continent and other developing markets.”

    The new partnership will provide Murray with the global resource, media expertise and strategic skills of Fuller’s XIX Entertainment, and the credibility, drive and specialist tennis skills of Globosport. The new partnership will start with immediate effect.

  • Mahesh Bhupathi, Rahul Bose join Colgate-Palmolive as ambassadors

    Mahesh Bhupathi, Rahul Bose join Colgate-Palmolive as ambassadors

    MUMBAI: Oral care brand Colgate-Palmolive (India) has roped in Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi and actor, rugby player Rahul Bose as ambassadors to support Colgate Total‘s awareness campaign for ‘Healthy Mouth‘.


    Colgate-Palmolive (India) VP-marketing Rekha Rao said, “In India, there is a growing awareness towards maintaining a healthy body. However, not all of us realise the importance of a ‘Healthy Mouth‘.”


    “Mahesh and Rahul pay a lot of emphasis on physical wellness which is critical in their professions. They will support Colgate in our endeavor to create widespread awareness on the importance of a ‘Healthy Mouth‘,” Rao added.


    Bhupathi and Bose will also feature in a series of TV commercial that will be aired across the country, both on regional and national channels.


    “As professional athletes, we sometimes do not give much importance to what is not visible to us. A ‘Healthy Mouth‘ is linked to our overall health and is something that cannot be taken for granted. Given our busy lifestyles, Colgate Total‘s unique formula ensures that we get the best oral care, and an overall healthy mouth,” Bhupathi added.


    “When I got to know the significance of a healthy mouth for a healthy body from the leaders of oral care, Colgate, it was amazing to learn how Colgate Total so completely meets my oral care needs. Having experienced Colgate Total, I recommend it to my friends and family,” Bose added.


    Available in 75 gm and 150 gm packs across the country, Colgate Total‘s formula has been granted the Seal of Acceptance by the Indian Dental Association.

  • Sunfeast and Hungama TV join hands for ‘The Sunfeast Open Ball boy/Ball Girl Contest 2006’

    MUMBAI: Sunfeast and Hungama TV have announced ‘The Sunfeast Open Ball boy/Ball Girl Contest 2006’. This contest will give children across the country a chance to be the ball boy/girl in a match played on center court during the Sunfeast Open tournament to kick off in Kolkata from 18 – 24 September 2006.

    To participate in the contest kids will have to answer a
    question that will be aired on Hungama TV till 15 September. It appears that the question will be related to India’s top woman’s tennis player. Correct responses will give five lucky winners a chance to participate as ball boys/ ball girls at the tournament.

    What’s more, these five kids will also be featured on Ten Sports and Hungama TV, in addition to receiving special training for this role at the Jaidip Mukerjea Tennis Academy promoted by former India tennis ace and Tournament director for Sunfeast Open, Jaidip Mukerjea.

    Contestants can enter the contest by sending their answers either by SMS to 6767888 or email to sunfeastopen@itc.in.

    Besides providing the kids with an opportunity to rub shoulders with International Tennis Stars, it is also an attempt to promote the game in India.

    ITC Foods Ltd. divisional chief executive Ravi Naware said, “Sunfeast’s association with sports was to foster love for the game and groom generation next for keener participation in sporting activities. It is our constant endeavor to connect with our audiences by providing constant interface between the tournament and the audiences in order to form a strong connect and create a sense of ownership for the tournament among viewers.”

    Further commenting on the association Hungama TV COO Zarina Mehta said, “Hungama TV always believes in empowering, engaging and entertaining kids through various touch points, both on-air and off-air. This unique initiative with Sunfeast is an opportunity to provide a wholesome experience of both our brands by giving our consumers an access to their role models and enabling them to get a step closer to their aspirations.

    Touted as South Asia’s biggest sporting spectacle, the Sunfeast Open 2006 is Tier III WTA (Women Tennis Association) event with prize money of US$ 170,000. It will be played at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata from 18 to 24 September 2006. The tournament is being brought to Kolkata by Globosport, the sports management company owned by Mahesh Bhupathi, under the auspices of the Government of West Bengal.

     

  • ESPN STAR Sports salutes Indian Sporting heroes on Independence Day

    ESPN STAR Sports salutes Indian Sporting heroes on Independence Day

    New Delhi, August 10, 2006: ESPN Star Sports, will showcase some of the most memorable moments in the history of Indian sports this Independence Day. Keeping up with the spirit of Independence Day, the leading broadcaster will relive glorious moments in Indian sports for viewers across the country in a specially produced programming initiative.

    Explaining the initiative, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd Managing Director R C Venkateish said, “ESPN Star Sports has always looked at initiatives to redefine its offerings to the audiences. This Independence Day, keeping up with the spirit of patriotism, we will be showcasing some of the most memorable sporting events in Indian history, the moments that have done India and Indians proud at the international level.”

    ESPN will showcase India’s cricketing glory against England, symbolic to India overturning the British Empire to attain Independence. The 1986 series, where Kapil Dev led and Vengsarkar inspired India won two Test matches; the 1971 series, where India’s spin trio had England in a web; the historic 1983 World Cup semi final and the record chase by Indians against England in the NatWest series final, the day will feature some of the best talent in some of the keenly contested matches in the cricketing history of India.

    Star Sports will be showcasing some of modern India’s finest moments with modern day Indian sporting icons such as Narain Karthikeyan, Shiv Kapur, Sonjay Dutt, Sania Mirza, Mahesh Bhupathi doing India proud at the international level at individual and team sports.

    The schedule as per date, time, event and channel are as follows;

    On ESPN –
    15th August (0800-1200) 1986, England vs. India, 1st and 2nd Test
    15th August (1200-1800) Headingly Special
    15th August (1800-2000) 1971, England vs. India, Test Series
    15th August (2000-2100) News (India and Asia)
    15th August (2100-2200) 1983 World Cup, Semifinal, England vs. India
    15th August (2200-2300) News repeat
    15th August (2300-0030) The Natwest Series, Final, England vs. India

    On Star Sports –
    15th August (0800-0900) TNA Monthly India Specials- Sonjay Dutt
    15th August (0900-1000) 2006 Formula One- Narain Karthikeyan
    15th August (1000-1100) Volvo Masters of Asia- Shiv Kapur
    15th August (1100-1200) Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships- Sania Mirza
    15th August (1200-1800) India Glorious- Adelaide Special
    15th August (1800-1900) TNA Monthly India Specials- Sonjay Dutt
    15th August (1900-2000) Philippines Open- Sneha
    15th August (2000-2100) Indian Legends- 1983 World Cup final
    15th August (2100-2200) Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships- Mahesh Bhupathi
    15th August (2200-2300) TNA Monthly India Specials- Sonjay Dutt
    15th August (2300-0000) 15th Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup