ITV

Tag: OTT

  • “Sheikh Chilli & Friendz” are here to rule the world !!

    “Sheikh Chilli & Friendz” are here to rule the world !!

    One Take Media Co. is happy to announce the agreement reached with Apsons Entertainment (Mayapuri group,owners of Lotpot – kids comic magazine) for overseas distribution of World famous series “Sheikh Chilli & Friendz” for World Territories (except SAARC). This show has 104 Episodes of 11 minutes each.

    The rights are open for broadcast platforms and OTT platforms globally (except SAARC region). In India this show is successfully running on Discovery Kids and has millions of followers.

    The stories in this series have been designed keeping in mind today’s children, who are modern and have gadgets. The stories are light and are based in events linked to the children’s lives and have action, drama, and fun.

    The main characters of Sheikh Chilli and Friendz are 9-year old Sheikh Chilli, who lives in a town called Jhunjhun Nagariya. He is a sweet and innocent lad and has some good
    Friends. He has a friend Bulbul who talks a lot but is dumb-witted. Mallika is Sheikh Chill’s dear friend and very intelligent. Then we have “The One And Only” Khatkoo, who is just 6 inches tall and stays in Sheikh Chilli’s pocket. Noorie Jinn was found by Sheikh Chilli in a bottle. He comes out of the bottle only when Sheikh Chilli recites the magic words and does only what Sheikh Chilli asks him to do. Buri is a sorceress and is out to get the necklace with the blue diamond worn by Noorie Jinn. Another character is Gama, Sheikh Chilli’s class-mate but a bully and always troubling Sheikh Chilli. Lootera is the stupid thief who is always trying to rob everybody but does not succeed because of Sheikh Chilli’s gang.

    Mr. Aman Bajaj – Publisher (Owner) – Mayapuri Group – Lotpot magazine, with 30+ years of experience in production and animation.His team is developing multiple IP characters of Lotpot kids magazine like Motu Patlu ,Sheikh Chilli & Neetu.

    He has told “Sheikh Chilli & Friendz stories are based on magic and fantasy. The characters are based in the modern world and are well equipped with technology so that kids of this generation can connect to them “. Also, Shekhar Chopra, CEO of Lotpot has said “We are happy to collaborate with One Take Media Co. This association will take Sheikh Chilli & Friendz to global territories.”

    OTMC is one of leaders in providing value Added Services to DTH, Telecom ,OTT and Cable industries, services include Hollywood Movies, Hollywood Movies dubbed in Hindi,  Kid Animated Movies/shows, Celebrity based Cooking show and Korean TV series.

    Mr. Anil Khera , CEO & Founder of One Take Media says “ We are very confident that this acquisition of Sheikh Chilli & Friendz for global distribution would prove to be a successful bet. We are constantly striving towards offering new media and content to our viewers. Watching Sheikh Chilli& Friendz will be a complete delight for our audience’s world over “

  • No current plans to impose regulation on OTT sector: MIB secretary

    No current plans to impose regulation on OTT sector: MIB secretary

    MUMBAI: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) secretary Amit Khare said there is a need to rethink regulating over-the-top (OTT) platforms because some sections of the society are voicing concerns on its content. However, Khare also added that the ministry currently does not have any plan to impose any regulation.

    According to a Medianama report, the MIB secretary spoke at a seminar on film certification and regulation of online content, held in Mumbai on 10 October. He noted that while in all commonwealth countries, there are bodies to regulate content in films, newspapers and TV, there is no such provision for regulating content on OTT.

    “They [OTT platforms] do fall under the IT Act, but have no governance or self-regulation. This happens nowhere in the world,” Minister of Information and Broadcast Prakash Javadekar said via a video conference at the seminar. He mentioned that content creators of OTT platforms make all kinds of content including bad and obscene but there is no censor board.

    Notably, according to an India Today report, the Ministry of Technology said there is no monitoring of OTT content right now in response to an RTI.

    "So far as this ministry is concerned, the content on online platforms is not being regulated at present. However your application is being transferred under Section 6 (3) of the Act to CPIO, Ministry of Electronics and IT, New Delhi to provide information pertaining to them," MIB said as per the report.

  • Every platform needs a centrality to its content: VOOT’s Gourav Rakshit at Vidnet 2019

    Every platform needs a centrality to its content: VOOT’s Gourav Rakshit at Vidnet 2019

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s digital venture VOOT is set to expand the horizon of its business with new moves such as the upcoming launch of its subscription-based model in this calendar year and the full-fledged commercial launch of VOOT Kids. While it will maintain equal focus on the advertising-led platform, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit thinks it is an opportune time to enter the SVOD play.

    At Indiantelevision.com’s Vidnet 2019, Rakshit spoke on industry issues as well as VOOT’s content strategy going forward in a candid fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari. Wanvari set the tone of the discussion by asking his lessons from Shaadi.com and his view on the industry as an outsider.

    Rakshit said that Shaadi.com was obviously a fascinating journey for him as he gained more insights on the history of India and communities of the country. It also helped him to touch India at a very core level while they signed up about 10-15k people every day which largely represents middle-class India.

    “I think from a learning point of view one of the things I can definitely bring is data science and AI models being used in match-making. They are very advanced. People talk about recommendations on OTT space. So, the order of magnitude of the algorithm on Shaadi is much higher than you have to in this space. Another thing is we ran the entire business on subscription model creating sufficient value to reach premium customers.”

    However, he also shed light on the new things he had to face as he switched industries. “I did underestimate the long-gestation period of content between concept, and execution or original launch. At Shaadi.com we were one week away from the idea of execution. This industry has to think where the ball will be one year from now. So, it definitely has a layer of complexity,” he added further.

    The other challenge is the supply-demand quotient. There has been a sudden burst of appetite but the growth in content creators can’t keep pace. However, he believes this is a short-term problem.

    According to him, the OTT industry is still finding its footing. The industry also has to discover the right price points. “As you start to move from the extremely western psychological demographic to what we call India, then Bharat, the nature of the content that we produce and we are going to put on these platforms needs to be fundamentally different. There, I think the broadcast industry, which has sharpened over years of understanding what these consumers want, is going to have an edge both by virtue of the library of content and understanding the sensibilities of the users. In the near term, clearly, the highest disposable income is with people that have a westernised psychography,” he said.

    He also added that every platform needs a centrality to its content that people want to consume and pay for. “We do daily digital soaps which are only available online and do exceedingly well. We have a base of extremely loyal people. In fact, we just concluded a season a few months ago. It is called Silsila and that had a massive fandom. So appointment-driven viewing on the internet as opposed to the only premise we are able to which is binge-watch is where we see a compelling case,” he also noted.

    Rakshit noted that the one thing that digital offers but television is unable to provide is on-demand viewing. According to him, if consumers are able to choose when they want to watch something then they can choose what and how they want to watch, and then they will be looking for something which is closer to their own liking. Hence, there has to be an understanding of writing what these new-age consumers are looking for.

    According to Rakshit, VOOT has an interesting content line up that is ready to hit the market. Moreover, the entry of fibre-to-home services will also help the platform at an ecosystem level. He also mentioned that as the industry progressed, the price discovery of subscription-based services would also be helpful for the platform.

    Speaking on VOOT’s kids’ strategy, he said, “It’s a departure from pure-play video streaming and primarily because we recognise that the target group in that is in the age group of 4-8 years and they are not using their own phones. They are using the device of their parents with their explicit permission. As a form of engagement, we got multiple-choice questions, audiobooks sort of narrative as well as large-format books which people can read in electronic media. Our early indications are that parents like that.”

  • OTT players stress the need to create massy content for robust future at Vidnet 2019

    OTT players stress the need to create massy content for robust future at Vidnet 2019

    MUMBAI: The ‘Business and Tech Track’ of the fourth edition of Indiantelevision.com’s two-day-long video and content conclave, Vidnet, became a raging success with some of the most successful and powerful names from the digital video industry coming together and highlighting the challenges and opportunities that they are dealing with right now. A special screening of “The Hitler Chronicles: Blueprint for Dictators” and “The Bisexuals” was also organised for the attendees. 

    Organised on the first day of Vidnet 2019, parallel to a ‘Creators Track’, the ‘Business and Tech Track’ hosted a number of panel discussions and fireside chats to present an in depth image of the functioning of the video ecosystem.

    The proceedings of the day were opened by a powerful speech by Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari who discussed about the challenges that the current OTT ecosystem is facing ranging from getting users to subscribe to preventing piracy. He urged those present in the audience to work on more massy content to create and support robust businesses for the future.

    The first item on the agenda was a panel discussion titled “Making Indian Entertainment Great”, which highlighted some of the constraints that shroud the video industry, ranging from the technological to the artistic aspects of the business. On the panel were Zee5 India head-AVOD, SEO, news & stories Yogesh Manwani, Sony Pictures Networks India business head-digital Uday Sodhi, Viacom18 business head-digital AVOD ventures Akash Banerji, Viu India country head Vishal Maheshwari, Balaji Telefilms group COO and Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya, and HOOQ India’s managing director Zulfiqar Khan. The session was moderated by Nepa India’s managing director Esha Nagar. 

    The panel also insisted that there is a need to create more regional and massy content by OTT platforms to create a better ecosystem. They also pressed the need for better investments in technology. 
    Khan revealed that his company is shifting focus to more AI-led content and ventures. He said, “We hope to be the first platform to have fully machine-dubbed localisation of content.” 
    Following this was a presentation by Think Analytics SVP Richard Dowling on “The Power of Personalised Search and Recommendations.” Dowling shared a few case studies from his firm as he talked about how personalised content can help in gathering better audience.

    Next on the list was another panel discussion on “Captive Audience of the Telecom Trace” between ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand, IndiaCast Media Distribution group CEO Anuj Gandhi, Apalya Technologies founder and CEO Vamshi Reddy, Lionsgate MD south asia Rohit Jain, Shemaroo Entertainment COO digital Zubin Dubash, and Hungama Digital COO Siddhartha Roy, moderated by Elara Capital VP – research analyst (media) Karan Taurani.

    The panel unanimously agreed that getting associated with telcos can help OTT platforms in getting more audience, however, the challenge of who owns the consumer will remain for the foreseeable future.

    “I don’t believe there is a better platform than telcos. Direct carrier billings allow the consumers to stay confident. It also allows us the marketing might. They really help us find our audiences,” Anand said.

    Reddy also noted, “Telcos bring in a universal and seamless experience across content. The consumer doesn’t have to go to 10 platforms and enjoy the experience. Eventually it should evolve into a payment mechanism.”

    Zubin Dubash noted that this association between platforms and telcos is going to go on as the core of this partnership for telcos is not to own the content but to increase the guzzling of mobile data.

    Afterwards, NAGRA product line management director Diroshan Ratnarajah gave an interesting presentation on “Combating OTT Streaming Piracy”. He outlined some pressing and pertinent problems that exist in the online video space, which can impact the monetisation as well as content discovery process on streaming platforms.

    He highlighted that fighting piracy will require a joint effort from all the players in the industry and development of robust, scalable, and high-performance security platforms.

    The proceedings of the day were taken forward by a panel of ZEE5 India head technology Tushar Vohra, Hoichoi TV technology head Aloke Majumder, ErosNow CTO Lokesh Chauhan, NAGRA product line management director Diroshan Ratnarajah, and MX Player chief of product, tech and operations Vivek Jain, moderated by Castle Media CEO Ru Ediriwira.

    They discussed about “The Challenge of Content Protection” in the new age media scenario. The panel agreed that there is a need for the whole ecosystem to come together to fight the menace of piracy as it might only increase with robust changes happening in the system. They also talked about the importance of fingerprinting of content.

    Vohra said, “We need to get together because the lines are really blurring. As now there are new business models, content producers are being paid on the basis of number of streams and number of minutes watched.”
    Jain insisted that enforcement of piracy laws in India needs improvement so that not only can pirated content be identified easily but also pulled down immediately.

    The “Business and Tech Track” of Vidnet 2019, continued post-lunch, with a fireside chat between Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, and Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit. The duo discussed how the nature of the content in India is evolving with the audience sensibilities.

    Following it was panel discussion on “Fine-tuning Models of Monetisation and Consumer Engagement”. On the stage were Vimmi co-founder and co-CEO Eitan Koter, ALTBalaji SVP and head marketing Divya Dixit, Google industry head-media and entertainment Sandeep Ramesh, MX Player SVP and revenue head Virat Jit Singh, Merkle Sokrati SVP Sampath Rengacheri, and myNK co-founder Deepak Jayaram. The panel was moderated by PwC India partner and advisory leader entertainment, media, and sports Raman Kalra.

    The panel discussed the different opportunities and challenges that AVOD and SVOD mode of subscriptions come with and what role does technology, content, and telcos play in the system. This panel also indicated that a massy approach to content generation will help in driving better revenues.

    Next in line was a fireside chat between Amazon Prime Video head of India originals Aparna Purohit and moderator The Linus Adventures founder and chief evangelist Sunil Lulla who talked about how Amazon Prime India is working towards improving content on the platform.

    Purohit shared that it is the best time for writers as well as actors and directors to be in the industry as not just Prime but all other platforms are looking for good stories to be told. 
    It was followed by a short Q&A session with the cast of MX Original series, produced by Applause, ‘Hello Mini’—Gaurav Chopra and Anuja Joshi. The duo not only talked about the show but also unveiled its official trailer.

    The day ended with a screening of “The Hitler Chronicles: Blueprint for Dictators”, and “The Bisexuals”, which were first telecasted on Hulu, by myNK co-founder Deepak Jayaram. 
     

  • Vidnet 2019 set to lead engaging discussions on the OTT industry

    Vidnet 2019 set to lead engaging discussions on the OTT industry

    AMUMBAI: As over-the-top (OTT) platforms have started capturing audiences from tier II, tier-III cities, beyond the top metro cities, all major players in the ecosystem have upped their investment significantly. Both international and homegrown players are trying to win more consumers with original content, innovative marketing strategy, and right distribution partnerships. 

    Despite the fact that the market is thriving, certain challenges like content protection, regulatory issues, monetisation, lack of measurement system are bothering video streaming services. Indiantelevision.com's flagship event Vidnet 2019 summit is ready to facilitate conversations on the opportunities and challenges of the ecosystem.

    Various studies have also indicated the bright future of video streaming in India. A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report said that India’s video streaming service is set to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.82 per cent to reach Rs 11,977 crore by 2023. Moreover, media agency Zenith also predicted that by 2021 Indian consumers will spend 79 minutes per day on mobile internet, up from 54 minutes today.

    The summit is hosting panel discussions on OTT streaming piracy, OTT-telco relations, challenge of content protection, monetisation, consumer engagement, technology’s influence on storytelling along with other topics.

    Red Chillies Entertainment Gaurav Verma, The Linus Adventures founder and chief evangelist Sunil Lulla, House of Cheer founder and CEO Raj Nayak, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit, ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand, Viu India country head Vishal Maheshwari, Sony Pictures Networks India digital business head Uday Sodhi, IndiaCast Media Distribution group CEO Anuj Gandhi, Amazon Prime Video India originals head Aparna Purohit will participate in the sessions along with other veterans from the industry.

    "It is still day 0 in the Indian OTT landscape and the category has already witnessed exponential growth fuelled by affordability, accessibility and availability of data. Most of the growth in the category is on the back of marquee Indian originals and catch-up content from network TV. With evolving audience preferences, content consumption has now become device and screen agnostic, presenting significant growth opportunity for the category," Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said.

  • Vidnet 2019 to discuss untapped potential of OTT-telco partnerships

    Vidnet 2019 to discuss untapped potential of OTT-telco partnerships

    MUMBAI: In the race to reach a larger audience easily, all the over-the-top (OTT) players in India have struck deals with major telecom players. While all the video streaming platforms in India are still struggling with monetisation, telco platforms have created an alternative route to monetise content. Moreover, the OTT platforms are not limiting the partnership opportunity to telco platforms but also joining hands with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMS), broadband players, smart TVs for a stronger distribution strategy.

    According to a report from KPMG, telco partnerships have contributed 30-35 per cent to overall subscription revenue of OTT platforms in FY 19. The revenue from telco partnerships is expected to achieve robust growth in the coming years, although slower as compared to direct subscriptions.

    Vidnet 2019 summit is hosting a panel discussion on ‘Captive Audiences of the Telecom Trace’  where experts from the major platforms will share how telco partnerships have helped to gain them more audience and what are the untapped opportunities in the space. “With the unlimited choices today the customer has, it's all about giving the right content to the customer and engaging deeply with what's in the library,” Apalya Technologies co-founder and CEO Vamshi Reddy commented.

    The panel discussion will also trace answers to relevant questions like how telcos and OTT players can maximise revenue potential through the partnerships. Moreover, there are large feature phone users existing in the ecosystem. Hence, it will be also discussed if the OTT players can tap these consumers or they are happy just identifying the smartphone users.

    However, these partnerships are not only helping the OTT platforms, telco players are being benefitted as well. After the entry of the market disruptor Reliance Jio in 2016, the average revenue per user (ARPU) has sharply declined. Hence, it has become important for the telco partners to encourage more data consumption with lucrative content offerings

  • Netflix’s dependence on India for growth may see more innovative experiments

    Netflix’s dependence on India for growth may see more innovative experiments

    MUMBAI: In the course of its three-year journey in India, Netflix has recognised that the rule to win Indian consumers is different. After foraying into the Indian market in 2016, the California-based streaming giant gradually reshaped its business model deviating highly from the one it follows in the US. From announcing a mobile-only subscription package to making the first episode of the newly-launched series Bard of Blood available for free for non-members viewing on Android devices, the streaming giant is not leaving any stone unturned to woo Indian consumers.

    Back in 2018, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, in his India tour, said that the streamer’s next 100 million subscribers will be "coming from India" given the fast growth of internet connectivity and usage. Although the progress for that statistic has not been revealed, the platform has created an impressive local content slate over the year. But with the amount of cash it’s burning every year, the company needs a higher number of subscribers from India, especially at a time when its domestic subscriber growth is reaching a saturation point.

    In a market dominated by AVOD and freemium models, this free-like model of offering an episode of Bard of Blood for free is definitely an interesting move. It will not only help more viewers to taste the platform but also to attract them towards paid subscription. However, it is not clear yet if they will consider doing the same experiment for other films and series in future.

    While the Indian over-the-top market is growing quickly, Netflix has strong local competition here. Among Indian viewers, Hotstar seems the most popular platform according to several reports. Sports content available on the platform has largely driven its popularity but it also has a special package of Hotstar VIP for newly-launched original content which is priced at a lower rate. Two other popular services, ALTBalaji and ZEE5, have struck various content deals. Moreover, most of the domestic players work on the freemium model with a massive catch-up content library. Netflix’s international rival Amazon is also investing highly in local content with its existing prime benefits. Hence, the way to the next 100 million subscribers is not an easy game.

    Netflix has done another unusual experiment in terms of pricing recently. The platform unveiled its cheapest plan – Rs 199 a month only for smartphones and tablets – to penetrate deeper into the market. Studies have found that India prefers smartphones to laptops more than any other country in the world. It seems the platform has started focusing on bigger audiences going beyond the tier I premium segment. In its Q1 earnings call also, Netflix added that a lower price tier will be important to adding members in India.

    "We've been seeing nice steady increases in engagement with our Indian viewers that we think we can keep building on. Growth in that country is a marathon. So we're in it for the long haul," Netflix chief content officer Theodore Sarandos said in an analyst call after publishing the Q2 results.

    In addition to that, Netflix is also expanding its team with Indian executives who already have knowledge of the market. Netflix recently hired Monika Shergill as head of its Indian original programming, who was associated with Viacom18’s Voot and Star India. The platform also tapped another Voot executive Tanya Bami very recently. Last year, Netflix appointed two experts with vast knowledge of the Indian market, Shrishti Behl and Swati Mohan.  

    In the second quarter, Netflix saw its first major loss in US subscribers last and a mere 2.7 million paid customers added globally. While the platform added almost all new subscribers from international markets this quarter, it believes there’s still plenty of room to grow there. Netflix executives also emphasised on the importance of India, where the company expects significant growth. Moreover, when its domestic market is seeing the entry of streaming services from the house of Disney and Apple, more innovative measures can be expected in India.

  • Vidnet 2019 to discuss how to engage the OTT consumer

    Vidnet 2019 to discuss how to engage the OTT consumer

    MUMBAI: While user acquisition comes in the priority list of over-the-top players in India, maintaining consumer engagement also seems to remain a challenge. Although a number of new users are flocking to OTT platforms, many of them don’t stay on the platform for long. To stay relevant in the highly competitive market, OTT players should focus on consumer needs to keep them engaged.

    At the stage of Vidnet 2019, experts from the industry will discuss on the topic – Competing for Consumer Engagement. The session will provide insights on different approaches adopted by platforms to keep their subscribers hooked.

    Many reports have indicated that brand loyalty is not very high among digital audiences as a number of apps are abandoned pretty quickly. Poor app interface, lack of personalised content and recommendation, and lack of quality content are among the most important causes of this challenge.

    Easier content discovery, data-driven marketing approach with the use of AI and machine learning, tracing consumer behaviour properly can help the platforms to overcome this challenge. As retention of consumer should be given equal priority to customer acquisition, the panel discussion on 3 October at Vidnet stage will dive deep into the topic.

  • Vidnet 2019 to lead OTT industry discussions on monetisation

    Vidnet 2019 to lead OTT industry discussions on monetisation

    MUMBAI: Video streaming services are in the race to grab the attention of India's surging internet audience. Streaming platforms have left no stones unturned with their investments. However, the question mark on monetising content still remains.

    While advertising has been the primary monetisation mode till now, subscription will have to catch up soon.

    A recent report by MPA also predicted that subscription will form a major chunk of revenue for OTT platforms in the coming years.

    At the stage of Vidnet 2019 , experts from the industry will discuss the pressing issue of fine tuning models of monetisation – a session that assesses the challenges video-on-demand services face in pocketing a share of the consumer's wallet, a deep dive into new monetising models, sachet pricing and the potential of branded solutions.

    There is no single solution for monetisation in a dynamic market like India. It depends on factors such as content genre, target audience, scale and competition. However, OTT players are attempting many ways such as sachet pricing, content bundling, regional packs, offline payments and collaboration. A session at the Vidnet Summit on 3 October will capture all questions related to the issue.

  • Abu Dhabi T10 & Sony Pictures Networks India to capture massive global audience

    Abu Dhabi T10 & Sony Pictures Networks India to capture massive global audience

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has joined with Abu Dhabi T10 as their official broadcast partner for the third consecutive year to bring the unique cricket extravaganza to a worldwide viewership of nearly a billion fans.

    All twenty-nine Abu Dhabi T10 matches will be telecast live on Sony Pictures Network India’s massive viewer base of 700 million on Sony Six and Sony Ten 3 channels. In addition to this, SonyLIV and Jio will allow another 300 million viewers to live-stream the tournament on their mobile phones through their OTT platforms, bumping potential viewership numbers for the event to truly astronomical levels.

    Sony Pictures Networks India, chief revenue officer, distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “Cricket dominates the viewership in India and our aim is to serve the interests of our viewers. The T10 League is extremely engaging and its fast-paced format has attracted a loyal following across demographics since its inaugural edition on Sony Pictures Networks in 2017. The T10 League is considered the latest avatar of the most watched sport in the country and this edition awaits a higher degree of thrill and excitement with the inclusion of some of the biggest names in the sport.”

    The move comes as the next strategic step in positioning the Abu Dhabi T10 franchise as a truly world-class sporting spectacle, after moving to the United Arab Emirates capital and forging key partnerships with local government entities there.

    The prime mover behind the deal and the originator of the only ICC-sanctioned ten-over cricket league in the world, T10 Sports Management chairman Shaji Ul Mulk, spoke glowingly about the significance of ten-over cricket and the new broadcast partnership: “This is a very fast format and I’m sure children will take a liking towards the league. It is like watching a football match, the action is over in 90 minutes and there is lot of drama and entertainment. It is the next big thing in the world of cricket. As the format gathers more fans, we want to make sure that no one is left disappointed and so we have partnered with Sony Pictures Networks India and Jio to telecast the cricket extravaganza live on their platforms.”

    In addition to its massive subscriber base, Sony Pictures Networks India brings broadcast expertise and strong credentials to its part of the deal. The network is the premier destination for cricket in India, with rights to eight international cricket boards including England and Wales Cricket Board and was also the official broadcaster of the recently concluded Ashes.

    On Monday, Sony representatives and Abu Dhabi T10 officials mingled with celebrities and cricket superstars to celebrate the partnership deal. England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan and former India speedster Zaheer Khan were on hand as official ambassadors for the Abu Dhabi T10 which is set to kick off from 14 November 2019 to 24 November 2019 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in the UAE capital.

    Morgan spoke of the shift in perception with the new deal and the move to Abu Dhabi: “More people are watching because it’s a faster game and we’re playing in a city that loves to do things big. Big stars, big audiences, big action on the pitch. And players love playing in Abu Dhabi because it represents an audience that loves one-of-a-kind entertainments. That’s T10 in a nutshell.”

    For this year’s Abu Dhabi T10, eight teams will face each another in 29 action-packed matches across 10 days. The star-studded line-up of international cricket talent shines a light on the game’s global appeal, with the likes of Australian icons Shane Watson and Cameron White, West Indians Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo; Sri Lankan duo Angelo Matthews and pacer Lasith Malinga; and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad and Rashid Khan all set to participate in November.

    The global appeal of cricket and the attraction of Abu Dhabi as a travel and sporting destination create a winning formula for local government stakeholders, as well, including the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, according to CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket, Matthew Boucher: “This media agreement is truly unique, broadcasting the destination of Abu Dhabi to over 700 million homes in India via 6 of the most renowned television and streaming channels in India. Together with the Department of Culture & Tourism Abu Dhabi we are thrilled to be partnering with Sony Pictures Network to amplify the Abu Dhabi T10 broadcast so comprehensively into one of our key source tourism markets.”

    With potential viewership numbers approaching those of elite global sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, some have speculated that the T10 format may play a key role in taking cricket to the Olympics as an official competitive sport.  

    Former Indian pacer, Zaheer Khan, said, “The success of Abu Dhabi T10 can lead to greater things for cricket. As more people enjoy the game live or on TV, this can lead to greater development and the spread of cricket to other non-traditional countries.”   

    During the first season of the league Kerala Knights were crowned as champions while second season saw Northern Warriors come out on top. This year with more international stars coming into the league, fans can expect more entertainment on the field with the level of cricket set to improve manifolds.