ITV

Tag: Prasana Krishnan

  • SPN acquires the exclusive TV & digital rights for the Indian open world ranking snooker tournament

    SPN acquires the exclusive TV & digital rights for the Indian open world ranking snooker tournament

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the third edition of the Indian Open World Ranking Snooker Tournament, in India and the Indian Sub-Continent.

    This year’s tournament being held in Hyderabad from 4 July to 9 July will be telecast live and exclusive on Sony SIX, daily from 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs. In addition to the live coverage, snooker enthusiasts will also be able to live-stream all the matches on Sony LIV.

    The Indian Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament and has raised the profile of cue sports in India. India has produced several top ranking players in the past who have contributed to the rising popularity of the sport; namely, Geet Sethi, Pankaj Advani, Aditya Mehta etc. Since its inception in 2013, India Open has seen the participation of leading snooker players from around the world including World Champions Neil Robertson, John Higgins, and Mark Williams as well as current legends Ding Junhui,, Marco Fu, Mark Selby and Stuart Bingham to name a few.

    India, as host country, gets a wildcard entry for six snooker players giving the upcoming talent a platform to showcase their skills and rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the sport. 128 of the world’s top cueists convened to England for the qualifiers on 28th May competing for the coveted prize purse of £ 3,00,000. 64 top international snooker players have qualified for the 3rd Indian Open from the preliminaries that was held in Preston, UK which includes Michael White, Shaun Murphy, Barrie Hawkins, Ricky Walden, Mark Davis etc.

    Sony Pictures Networks Sports cluster executive vice president & business head Prasana Krishnan said,“As broadcasters, we showcase a diverse range of content that will appeal to our audiences and we believe that we can help create new fans for some of these sporting events. Driven by consistent performances of leading Indian players, the popularity of cue sports has grown over the years. As an international professional ranking snooker tournament, the Indian Open will feature the best of International and Indian cueists. With the inclusion of cue sports in SPN’s sports portfolio, we are continuing our endeavour to have something for every viewer.”

    President of the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India and the International Billiards and Snooker Federation Capt P.V.K. Mohan added, “I am very pleased that SONY SIX is partnering with BSFI to cover the event live on all the five days of the tournament during prime time slots. Snooker will be taken to a whole new level with Sony SIX coming on board for the first time since Indian Open started 3 years ago. BSFI in its new partnership with SPN is excited about the prospects that are likely to develop in Cue Sports. The Indian Open is a marquee event which has become very popular with both domestic and international players and is highly rated among the ranking events that take place around the globe. In addition to this, both the International and Indian players have expressed their delight about one of the biggest sports channels of the country telecasting and streaming the event. This will create tremendous awareness and visibility for the tournament as well as the sport.”

    The Indian Open World Ranking Snooker Tournament will commence on July 4 and will be telecast live and exclusive on Sony SIX. Live coverage of the matches will also be available to live stream on Sony LIV.

  • SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa America Centenario in India and the Indian sub-continent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). This year’s tournament being held in the United States of America from June 3 to June 26 will be telecast live and exclusive on Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD channels.

    As part of the rights package, the network will air all 32 matches of the tournament played across 10 venues in the United States. In addition to the live coverage, Sony ESPN channels will also broadcast the highlights of matches during the tournament. On the digital front, consumers will be able to livestream all the matches on Sony LIV.

    The Copa América Centenario is a historical once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating 100 years of the Copa América and is a special edition between the usual four-year cycles of the Copa América tournaments. For the first time since its inception, the tournament will be held outside of South America and feature the top star players from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean like Lionel Messi (Argentina), Luis Suarez (Uruguay) Javier Hernandez (Mexico) and James Rodriguez (Colombia) to name a few.

    The Copa América Centenario is anticipated to make history with some of the biggest encounters in football. Top international teams like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Columbia, and more will face off each other on the field, all playing for the coveted trophy specially designed for the tournament.

    Sony sports cluster executive VP and business head Prasana Krishnan said, “This summer promises sports history in the making with the Copa América Centenario, a once in a lifetime event which sports fans will not want to miss. The acquisition of the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa América Centenario in India and the Indian Sub-Continent re-validates the SONY Sports cluster’s leadership in being the destination for football fans.”

    “Copa América Centenario, South America’s most prestigious international competition, alongside UEFA EURO 2016, Europe’s biggest tournament on our network will undoubtedly capture the interest of every football fan. During the event, viewers will see the currently ranked top ten International teams with some of the world’s greatest football players in an amazing line-up of matches from both Copa America Centenario and UEFA EURO 2016 on the Sony sports cluster”, he added.

    Customarily contested by the 10 CONMEBOL (the South American football confederation) nations and two outside invitees, the 2016 Copa América will have 10 South American national teams joined by six 

  • SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    SPN acquires exclusive broadcast and digital rights for 2016 Copa America Centenario in India

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa America Centenario in India and the Indian sub-continent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). This year’s tournament being held in the United States of America from June 3 to June 26 will be telecast live and exclusive on Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD channels.

    As part of the rights package, the network will air all 32 matches of the tournament played across 10 venues in the United States. In addition to the live coverage, Sony ESPN channels will also broadcast the highlights of matches during the tournament. On the digital front, consumers will be able to livestream all the matches on Sony LIV.

    The Copa América Centenario is a historical once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating 100 years of the Copa América and is a special edition between the usual four-year cycles of the Copa América tournaments. For the first time since its inception, the tournament will be held outside of South America and feature the top star players from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean like Lionel Messi (Argentina), Luis Suarez (Uruguay) Javier Hernandez (Mexico) and James Rodriguez (Colombia) to name a few.

    The Copa América Centenario is anticipated to make history with some of the biggest encounters in football. Top international teams like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Columbia, and more will face off each other on the field, all playing for the coveted trophy specially designed for the tournament.

    Sony sports cluster executive VP and business head Prasana Krishnan said, “This summer promises sports history in the making with the Copa América Centenario, a once in a lifetime event which sports fans will not want to miss. The acquisition of the exclusive broadcast and digital rights to telecast the 2016 edition of Copa América Centenario in India and the Indian Sub-Continent re-validates the SONY Sports cluster’s leadership in being the destination for football fans.”

    “Copa América Centenario, South America’s most prestigious international competition, alongside UEFA EURO 2016, Europe’s biggest tournament on our network will undoubtedly capture the interest of every football fan. During the event, viewers will see the currently ranked top ten International teams with some of the world’s greatest football players in an amazing line-up of matches from both Copa America Centenario and UEFA EURO 2016 on the Sony sports cluster”, he added.

    Customarily contested by the 10 CONMEBOL (the South American football confederation) nations and two outside invitees, the 2016 Copa América will have 10 South American national teams joined by six 

  • Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    MUMBAI: Come 28 January, 2016 and cricket fans will be in for a treat as they’ll get an opportunity to watch cricketing legends like Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Wasim Akram and their ilk padding up to take centre stage once again on lush green fields.

    As the Masters Cricket League (MCL) kicks-off, six franchises namely Libra Legends, Gemini Arabians, Sagittarius Soldiers, Virgo Super Kings, Capricorn Commanders and Leo Lions will tussle it out amongst each other, with the two best teams making it to the grand finale, which will be played on 3 February, 2016.

    And gearing up for the live telecast of the maiden cricketing tourney from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah is Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India’s sports channel Sony Six. The first match will be aired live tomorrow at 7.30 pm.

    While SPN India recently inked a JV with sportscaster ESPN and launched two new sports channels, the MCL will be aired on Sony Six and not on the new channels namely Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD.

    “From a fan’s perspective, a primary destination for a particular event is both convenient and essential. In this particular case, we decided that it would be Sony Six. We may provide an occasional match on Sony ESPN based on requirements,” SPN sports cluster EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan tells Indiantelevision.com.  

    World record holder Brian Lara, flamboyant opener Virender Sehwag and swinger Wasim Akram have already shared their excitement to be a part of the league. Apart from them, the Ashes-winning England captain Michael Vaughan, popular former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, recently retired Sri Lankan duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, and former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood are also amongst those who have signed up for the league. With participation from these names, the excitement around MCL is palpable.

    “The Masters Champions League has an impressive line-up of international cricket legends and all time stars, who have a huge fan following. Fans are really looking forward to the opportunity of watching cricket legends who have retired, extending their careers in the MCL,” adds Krishnan.

    The sportscaster is said to have signed the multi-year deal for close to $20 million. A media expert asserts, “This is a smart acquisition as I think it the MCL will continue to grow bigger with time. The tournament has big names associated with it and the matches will be competitive. If it starts well, cricket fans will be privy to something that they never expected and it has the potential to mark a new beginning.”

    The brand interest so far has been commendable, and there have been a few last minute deals, which Sony Six is juggling with. “Cricket is the most popular sport in India, which is extremely valuable to advertisers. We already have two leading brands on board for the Masters Champions League and are expecting to add a few more through the course of the event,” informs Krishnan without divulging any names.

    A senior sports media planner says, “The ad rates and number of sponsors on the first edition is not something that should be looked at. Any number is a good number; what is important at this stage is the nature of the tournament. Cricket always garners high eyeballs and the players are all brand ambassadors so if it picks up, it will be an exhibition.”

    Throwing light on the reason behind Sony Six going after the MCL, Krishnan says, “With the MCL, our aim is to bring high quality packaged content that will appeal to our audiences in the Indian sub-continent. We are glad to present to our viewers, a chance to connect with their favourite international legends and look forward to some great cricketing action in this exciting T20 tournament.”

    A cricket commentator, on condition of anonymity, adds, “I am excited to see the players I have grown up commentating on. I think the teams are a good mix of newly retired and previously retired players and hence it will be even-stevens. None of them have to prove anything to anyone but… ‘Once a warrior, always a warrior!’ Hence competition is ought to be there. I think it will be an entertaining voyage and if packaged properly, the MCL will be a great watch. I am sure there will be many trending hashtags all over as the tournament starts.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the concept, Krishnan concludes, “The Masters Champions League is presenting retired legends coming together in a first of its kind T20 cricket league. Viewers will get a chance to see their heroes in action once again and relive their finest nostalgic moments on the field.”

  • Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    MUMBAI: Come 28 January, 2016 and cricket fans will be in for a treat as they’ll get an opportunity to watch cricketing legends like Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Wasim Akram and their ilk padding up to take centre stage once again on lush green fields.

    As the Masters Cricket League (MCL) kicks-off, six franchises namely Libra Legends, Gemini Arabians, Sagittarius Soldiers, Virgo Super Kings, Capricorn Commanders and Leo Lions will tussle it out amongst each other, with the two best teams making it to the grand finale, which will be played on 3 February, 2016.

    And gearing up for the live telecast of the maiden cricketing tourney from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah is Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India’s sports channel Sony Six. The first match will be aired live tomorrow at 7.30 pm.

    While SPN India recently inked a JV with sportscaster ESPN and launched two new sports channels, the MCL will be aired on Sony Six and not on the new channels namely Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD.

    “From a fan’s perspective, a primary destination for a particular event is both convenient and essential. In this particular case, we decided that it would be Sony Six. We may provide an occasional match on Sony ESPN based on requirements,” SPN sports cluster EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan tells Indiantelevision.com.  

    World record holder Brian Lara, flamboyant opener Virender Sehwag and swinger Wasim Akram have already shared their excitement to be a part of the league. Apart from them, the Ashes-winning England captain Michael Vaughan, popular former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, recently retired Sri Lankan duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, and former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood are also amongst those who have signed up for the league. With participation from these names, the excitement around MCL is palpable.

    “The Masters Champions League has an impressive line-up of international cricket legends and all time stars, who have a huge fan following. Fans are really looking forward to the opportunity of watching cricket legends who have retired, extending their careers in the MCL,” adds Krishnan.

    The sportscaster is said to have signed the multi-year deal for close to $20 million. A media expert asserts, “This is a smart acquisition as I think it the MCL will continue to grow bigger with time. The tournament has big names associated with it and the matches will be competitive. If it starts well, cricket fans will be privy to something that they never expected and it has the potential to mark a new beginning.”

    The brand interest so far has been commendable, and there have been a few last minute deals, which Sony Six is juggling with. “Cricket is the most popular sport in India, which is extremely valuable to advertisers. We already have two leading brands on board for the Masters Champions League and are expecting to add a few more through the course of the event,” informs Krishnan without divulging any names.

    A senior sports media planner says, “The ad rates and number of sponsors on the first edition is not something that should be looked at. Any number is a good number; what is important at this stage is the nature of the tournament. Cricket always garners high eyeballs and the players are all brand ambassadors so if it picks up, it will be an exhibition.”

    Throwing light on the reason behind Sony Six going after the MCL, Krishnan says, “With the MCL, our aim is to bring high quality packaged content that will appeal to our audiences in the Indian sub-continent. We are glad to present to our viewers, a chance to connect with their favourite international legends and look forward to some great cricketing action in this exciting T20 tournament.”

    A cricket commentator, on condition of anonymity, adds, “I am excited to see the players I have grown up commentating on. I think the teams are a good mix of newly retired and previously retired players and hence it will be even-stevens. None of them have to prove anything to anyone but… ‘Once a warrior, always a warrior!’ Hence competition is ought to be there. I think it will be an entertaining voyage and if packaged properly, the MCL will be a great watch. I am sure there will be many trending hashtags all over as the tournament starts.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the concept, Krishnan concludes, “The Masters Champions League is presenting retired legends coming together in a first of its kind T20 cricket league. Viewers will get a chance to see their heroes in action once again and relive their finest nostalgic moments on the field.”

  • 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.

  • Multi Screen Media Network acquires exclusive broadcast rights of the ATP World Tour

    Multi Screen Media Network acquires exclusive broadcast rights of the ATP World Tour

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media Network has announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast tournaments as part of the global Elite – Men’s Professional Tennis Circuit; the ATP World Tour, for the next 5 years commencing January 2016.

     

    As part of the rights package, the network will air the live telecast of ATP’s premium tier events, the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events and the ATP World Tour 500 events alongside the prestigious season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. In addition to the live telecast, the channel will broadcast the highlights and the news service which will include player interviews around the series of tournaments.

     

    The ATP World Tour is therefore yet another addition to the network’s line-up of live tennis events which presently includes the Australian Open and the Champions Tennis League.

     

    Speaking on the new development MSM CEO NP Singh said, “Sports in India have a strong cultural significance and a way of unifying viewership across audiences.  Tennis is a high-consumption sport and the ATP reflects the best of men’s tennis globally. Our association with ATP is a strategic step in the direction of firmly establishing our commitment to tennis which is recognized as one of the most followed sports in the world.”

     

    Sony SIX and KIX business head Prasana Krishnan asserted, “The ATP World Tour will feature the world’s best tennis players on our network throughout the year. Our fans can now look forward to the world’s top ranked players in men’s professional tennis. This is a valued addition to our line-up of major tennis events on our network, making it the one-stop TV destination for tennis enthusiasts.”

     

    Commenting on the deal ATP Media CEO Mark Webster, “We are delighted that MSM has acquired the rights to the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and 500 events along with our season finale, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. We are certain that MSM will provide the passion and superb production values required to showcase the finest male tennis players competing at the world’s most exciting venues.”

     

    The ATP tournaments determine player rankings as well as the seeding for the Grand Slam tournaments. The men’s tennis season concludes each year with the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals which is now considered the biggest tournament outside of the four Majors and often determines the year-end No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking. The event is notable for some outstanding matches in the sport’s history due to its unique round-robin format.

  • Impact of DAS on Sports Ecosystem

    Impact of DAS on Sports Ecosystem

    DAS  (digital addressable system) is here to stay. Despite the shortcomings, the hiccups in the implementation of the first two phases, the government has announced that it will not extend the deadlines of December 31, 2015 for phase III areas and December 31, 2016 for phase IV, when the entire country is expected to be digitised. After complete switchover, cable TV services will be available only through set top boxes in India.

     

    We, at the Indiantelevision.com are starting a new section – ‘The Impact of DAS’ through which thought leaders, experts from the television ecosystem will share their thoughts, ideas, and say their piece on the subject. We are beginning with the impact of DAS on the sports broadcasting ecosystem. 

     

    Our first expert for the section is Sony Six and Sony Kix Business Head Prasana Krishnan. Sony Six and Sony Kix are a part of the Sony Pictures Network (earlier known as Multi Screen Media Network.) 

     

    Excerpts:

     

    How big an impact has phase I and II digitisation made when it comes to subscription revenues?

     

     

    Digitisation is a very significant and essential step for unlocking the true subscription potential.  It is designed to benefit all stakeholders including content owners, broadcasters, distributors and consumers as it brings addressability and transparency into the system.  We are still in early stages of this and full addressability is still some time away but the overall impact on subscription revenues has been very positive. 

     

    From a sports broadcaster’s point of view are you happy with the two phases of digitisation?

     

     

    The first two phases of digitisation have primarily focused toward catering to the change in the 4 metro’s and households in cities with over 1 million in population.  The experience and progress has been quite positive as the consumer in India is today getting unprecedented access to sports content.  The analog regime had some capacity limitations which often meant prioritisation of sports and ignoring niche interests.  Digitisation has been a key factor behind the growth of non-cricket sports viewership in the country as it has enabled access to such content on a consistent basis.  While the overall progress in these markets is very positive, the full potential is still to be unlocked and a lot still remains to be done in terms of full addressability, channel packages, etc.   

     

    Is the sports broadcasting industry in a subscription positive scenario? Or we are still ad dependent?

     

    Globally, sports broadcasting is primarily driven by subscription and in some cases, it can be even as high as 90 per cent of total revenues.  In India, dependence on ad spends is still very high and I think it will continue to be so in the foreseeable future.  But the share of subscription revenues has seen a good increase in recent years with the advent of DTH sector and digitisation and will hopefully continue to grow. 

     

    Are sports like Football, Badminton which are hugely popular but attract limited advertising profitable assets for a sports broadcaster?

     

    With spur in economic developments and maturing viewership preferences, sports viewership in the country has moved from a single sport to a multi-sport consumption. Compelling alternate sports have now taken a step ahead, and we are seeing their popularity permeate down amongst the Indian audiences leading to increased overall demand for alternate sports.  While certain sports like cricket are extremely advertiser friendly due to their format, others like football, badminton, etc have higher limitations in terms of advertising.  But these sports can be profitable especially with the advent of digitisation and the improving subscription market.

     

    With phase III and IV scheduled do you see a substantial upward growth in subscription revenues?

     

     Digitisation is clearly beneficial for sports broadcasting and some of the benefits are already visible from the first two phases.  Phase III and phase IV will help in continuing this growth and would be clearly positive for the industry.

     

    How can a non-cricket sport or a sport with limited ad room turn profitable for broadcasters?

     

    We are currently in a very exciting decade for sports consumption with viewership patterns and preferences showing a particular change over the previous years.  Non-cricket sports have been at the forefront of growth in the country and fans are increasingly connecting with these sports.  Eventually, profitability is clearly a factor dependent on viewer acceptance besides costs.  It is not possible to have a generic answer that applies for all non-cricket sports as it would be a case specific.  If a particular sport has found strong viewer acceptance, profitability will definitely follow irrespective of advertising inventory constraints.

  • NBA extends broadcast partnership with Sony Six

    NBA extends broadcast partnership with Sony Six

    MUMBAI: National Basketball Association (NBA) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) have announced an extension of their partnership. It will provide up to 14 live NBA games per week on the channel. The partnership was first announced during 2010-11 NBA season. 

     

    With expansion of the partnership, Sony SIX will broadcast up to two regular-season games per day, in addition to NBA All-Star, the playoffs and The Finals.  Sony SIX will also create customized lifestyle-oriented, off-the-court programming from the NBA, Sony entertainment and Bollywood. 

     

    Sony SIX and KIX business head Prasana Krishnan commented, “Our partnership with the NBA has seen basketball become the fastest growing sport in India over the last few years. This clearly indicates that the TV viewing audience for the NBA will continue to rise. The launch of our customized local LIVE NBA wraparound program will also bring sports fans closer to the on-court action.”

     

    NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco asserted, “We are excited to extend our partnership with Sony SIX to continue delivering comprehensive coverage of the NBA to our fans. The popularity of the NBA continues to grow and, through the diversity of NBA programming on Sony SIX, we will continue attracting and engaging with existing and new viewers alike across India.”

     

    Sony SIX will continue to broadcast daily and weekly NBA highlight shows and integrate daily content from NBA TV, including team previews and recap shows.  The daily 30-minute highlight programs will be broadcast in prime time every day of the season.  The weekly highlight shows, hosted by a local anchor, will recap all the happenings around the NBA during the past week. 

     

    For the first time in India, the NBA and Sony SIX will introduce a customized, local live NBA wraparound program every weekend throughout the season, bringing viewers closer to the game.  The program will be hosted by a panel of basketball experts that will provide analysis and insight on all of the latest NBA news.

     

    The NBA and Sony SIX will focus on the development of basketball in India, beginning with the return of NBA Jam on 24 October.  With expansion of the partnership, more NBA players, legends and dance teams will visit India throughout the year.

     

    The coverage of the 2015-16 NBA season by Sony SIX will begin 28 October 2015.  

  • Sony Six & TNA to live telecast Mumbai’s Impact Wrestling event; to search for India’s next wresting star

    Sony Six & TNA to live telecast Mumbai’s Impact Wrestling event; to search for India’s next wresting star

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports TV channel Sony Six will be broadcasting three live Total Nonstop Action (TNA) wrestling events in December, which are scheduled to take place in Mumbai from 2 – 4 December. 

     

    In a first for India, Sony Six will air the international sporting event live, featuring the stars and knockouts of TNA’s flagship Impact Wrestling. The final show TNA One Night Only: Mumbai on 4 December will be broadcast live in India, the United States and all around the world. It may be recalled that, in February this year,  Sony Six inked a long-term broadcast deal with TNA wrestling, which runs through 2022.

     

    At present, three stars will be part of the live telecast in India, the United States and around the world. These include:  India’s Mahabali Shera who is TNA’s first ever Indian wrestler; former TNA world heavyweight champion Ethan Crater 3 and Knockout Rebel.  

     

    Additionally, Sony Six and TNA have also partnered for the second time to search for India’s next big wrestling talent, who will join Mahabali Shera on the TNA roster. This will give aspiring wrestlers from India an opportunity to be showcase their skills on a global platform. Shera was TNA’s first ever Indian find in 2014, who was crowned after a year-long talent search led by TNA Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold medalist Kurt Angle.

     

    Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “We started this initiative two years ago. It has been one of our flagship properties, which is growing phenomenally. The number of viewers in calendar year 2014 exceeded 90 million at many stages. Wrestling is very much connected in India as it is played at the grass root level, which gives great potential as content. After cricket, it is the most viewed sports in the country and that makes it a natural candidate for investing and expanding in India.”

     

    TNA executive vice president of television and talent relations John Gaburick added, “This is only the beginning, we are following break-to-break approach and we look forward to become part of Indian wrestling community and build our relation in years to come. To start with, we are looking forward to explore and find new talent from different cities and states. As long as we keep finding new talents, we will be ready to invest.”

     

    Further discussing the content for the program, he said, “We want to show Mumbai to the world, we don’t want to just to set up a wrestling show here but also be part of the wrestling community in India. For that we have created original content for the Indian market in terms of touching field brand in the market.”

     

    Pro wrestling has been introduced in India before, when Jeff Jarrett introduced Ring Ka King. Initially, it got good ratings with a stiff competition from competitors. However, the let down was the content, which failed to sustain in the long run.

     

    This in turn gave TNA insights for further investment. Speaking on revenue generation and investments, Krishnan said, “Local sponsors will come in but for now our focus is on getting the event right. When you have a successful event, revenue always follows.”

     

    TNA’s fare is not the only action sport which attracts Indian audiences, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) also has a strong following. Talking about competitors, Krishnan said, “We are looking forward to initiatives taken by TNA, starting from the live broadcast of the show and second edition of the talent hunt for TNA’s  roster. They are very focused and committed, and in the long run, it will definitely show some results in big way. The show will be one of a kind.”

     

    Gaburick asserted, “WWE is older than us, they had a big head start in terms of brand growth compared to what we are today. But we have more impact in the community and it is the first foundation block for any organisation. Keeping the history of sports in India in mind, we will embrace it and make a mark in Indian market.”

     

    Present on the occasion, Dalip Singh Rana also known as ‘The Great Khali’ said, “I’m very much excited about the collaboration between Sony Six and TNA wrestling. It will be a boost for the Indian wrestling market and the talent hunt will providea  platform for young talents in India.”

     

    Commenting on the possibilities of collaboration with Singh, Gaburick said, “Having worked with him before in WWE, I think we both understand the importance of Indian market for wrestling. He wishes to be part of the program and it is about timing and scheduling and getting the deal done. I think we have a bright future for wrestling in India.”