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Tag: PSL

  • PSL 7 shuffles the deck with influencers, free entry and a high-stakes Goa finale

    PSL 7 shuffles the deck with influencers, free entry and a high-stakes Goa finale

    MUMBAI: India’s most high-stakes, high-drama poker league is back. Poker Sports League (PSL) — billed as the world’s largest poker league — has shuffled up and dealt out its plans for Season 7, promising a mind-sport spectacle of skill, grit, and serious gameplay. With PokerBaazi as title sponsor and JioHotstar as official streaming partner, the league is going all-in with a raft of upgrades and innovations.

    From free-to-enter qualifiers and influencer-led showdowns to the introduction of mandatory female poker pros and a franchise revenue-sharing model, PSL is betting big on inclusion, digital scale, and edge-of-your-seat action.

    Speaking on the synergy with PokerBaazi and JioHotstar, Poker Sports League CEO & co-founder, Pranav Bagai said, “With PokerBaazi’s credibility in competitive poker and JioHotstar’s extensive digital reach, PSL Season 7 is well-positioned to reach a wider, more engaged audience. This season brings together scale, skill, and immersive storytelling to elevate the profile of poker as a mind sport in India. By combining strategic gameplay with high-quality digital content, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the broader mind sports ecosystem in the country.”

    “Each season of PSL is rooted in our commitment to innovation and inclusion. Season 7 introduces several firsts, from mandatory female poker pros and influencer showdowns to a new revenue sharing model for franchises and a massive finale in Goa. This is more than just competition, it’s a celebration of poker as a modern, mind-driven sport. We invite poker players and fans across the country to be a part of this journey.” Bagai added.

    What’s new this season?

    ●    8 franchise teams battle it out for poker supremacy (soon to expand to 9)

    ●    Revenue-sharing model makes PSL India’s first league to give franchisees a cut

    ●    Mandatory female pros on every team – a strong push for representation

    ●    Influencer face-offs – bringing creators and celebs into the mix

    ●    Live-streamed matches on JioHotstar, including qualifiers, auctions and the grand finale

    ●    5-day finale in South Goa, loaded with high-stakes drama and resort glamour

    Following a blockbuster Season 6 that clocked 20,927 unique participants, Season 7 is now live on PokerBaazi with daily free qualifiers running from 25 June to 3 August. Players can compete in up to 8 events, climb the leaderboard, and land in the top 40 for a shot at the auction, with a base bid of Rs 50,000 and a confirmed team spot.

    Baazi Games founder and CEO, Navkiran Singh commented, “PSL introduces a unique team format for Poker and has grown quite popular over the years. As a mind sport that demands strategy, skill, and composure, Poker is on the rise, and we believe Season 7 will build on this momentum to take the sport to new heights.”

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  • Our partnership with JioCinema and Pocket52 has been very instrumental: Pranav Bagai

    Our partnership with JioCinema and Pocket52 has been very instrumental: Pranav Bagai

    Mumbai: The Poker Sports League (PSL) Season 6 has wrapped up its Qualifiers, marking a new milestone with an extraordinary turnout. This season saw 20,927 unique participants, further cementing PSL’s reputation as the World’s largest poker league.

    The Qualifiers, which kicked off on 16 June, drew over 5000 participants in the first qualifier alone, a testament to the growing popularity of poker as a game of skill in India. Over 50 days, players competed in daily open qualifiers on Pocket52, with the top 42 players earning coveted spots on the 7 teams advancing to the league matches. Additionally, the top 1,000 participants were rewarded with prizes totaling over Rs. 40 lakhs, significantly enhancing engagement and excitement around the contest.

    Indiantelevision.com reached out to Poker Sports League founder & CEO Pranav Bagai, where he discussed the specific elements that will take PSL to new heights and much more.

    Edited excerpts

    Describe the specific elements or changes that have been introduced in Season 6 that you believe will take PSL to new heights.

    We have made some exciting changes in PSL Season 6.

    The biggest change is that there are 7 teams in Season 6. The introduction of a new team has happened after three seasons and we plan to introduce two more teams in the next two seasons. This will bring us to our cap of 9 teams in Season 8.

    The prize pool has been increased from 1.5 crores in the last season to 2 crores for Season 6.

    We have added a professional poker player in each team to increase the competitiveness between teams.

    Fans can look forward to more highlights, key moments from our streams, and, for the first time, short-form content like winning moments, best hands, crazy bluffs, glory moments, and more. 

    With Season 5 achieving global recognition, what strategies are in place to further PSL’s international reach in Season 6?

    Pre-covid we used to have two international players per team. In the coming seasons, we will make it a norm to include international players once again. This will not only add newer skill sets to the team but also create a pathway to reach out to a wider audience.

    How have the partnerships with JioCinema and Pocket52 evolved, and what role do they play in the success of PSL?

    Our partnership with JioCinema and Pocket52 has been very, very instrumental. JioCinema has the largest OTT network in the country. We worked very closely with them last year and we managed 12.5 million views, making PSL Season 5 one of the most viewed poker events – globally. They helped us boost our viewership by 600% from Season 4 to Season 5. We hope to double our viewership in Season 6 by including Hindi commentary.

    Meanwhile, talking about Pocket52, they have played a huge role in the success of Poker Sports League. Season 6 is the third time that Pocket52 has been the title sponsor for PSL. Unless you are a professional poker player who makes it through the draft, the only way to make it to PSL season 6 is through the Poker Sports League season 6 qualifiers – which are held exclusively on the Pocket52 platform. The Pocket 52 app’s recent UI/UX enhancements have significantly boosted its growth by prominently featuring PSL on the app.

    How do you see the landscape of poker evolving in India and globally over the next five years, and what role will PSL play in this evolution?

    Over the next five years, the landscape of poker in India and globally is poised for exponential growth. Over the last few months, we have seen an increase in the number of smaller apps or websites that are coming up with Poker on their platforms. Since October last year, we have seen a lot of newer companies get into poker. A lot of the rummy portals that were not in poker before have recently launched their platform. Additionally, there has been a significant rise in the number of Poker-related ads seen on TV, especially during IPL.

    So, globally, poker has been growing. It has been estimated that globally we can expect nearly 11% to 12% CAGR. The growth rate in India, however, is higher than that globally. India is expected to witness a growth rate of 16.9% CAGR. This makes India a great market for Poker. Speaking about the contribution of PSL, I believe that the platform we are providing will act as a bridge to reduce the gap and taboo around the industry. I believe we’re on the tip of the iceberg today and poker is just about starting in India. Its going to explode in the next 5 years. 

  • DSport to broadcast Pakistan Super League from 20 February

    DSport to broadcast Pakistan Super League from 20 February

    MUMBAI: DSPORT, a premium sports channel from the house of Discovery India, will broadcast the fifth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) LIVE for cricket fans in India.  PSL, in its fifth edition, is scheduled to be played from February 20 March 22, 2020. All the matches will be played at key time slots of 2:30 PM IST and 7:30 PM IST respectively.

    Vivian Richards, Legendary West Indian Cricketer and Mentor of PSL Defending Champions, Quetta Gladiators, said, “I am looking forward to PSL as this is the first major T20 league of the year in a heavy cricket season which culminates with World T20 later in Australia this year. Consistent high-quality contests in leagues such as PSL where players from across the world play help them to prepare better for global tournaments.”

    The league boasts of swashbuckling cricketers from across the world. The long list of international cricketers participating in the league is led by Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons (West Indies), Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram (South Africa), Jason Roy, Moeen Ali, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan (England), Chris Lynn, Shane Watson, Ben Cutting (Australia) and all the leading cricketers from Pakistan including Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Hasan Ali.

    “The presence of international stars will ensure each and every match will offer high quality contest – a core proposition to engage cricket aficionados in the country,” said, Discovery – South Asia senior vice president – Affiliate sales and Sports business head Vijay Rajput said, “We are working towards aggregating marquee properties across variety of sports with  an aim to engage passionate fan communities.”

    The first match will be played between the defending champions Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United on February 20, 2020. Other franchises who will be seen in action include the likes of last season’s runner-up Peshawar Zalmi; Lahore Qalandars; Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans.

  • DSport ropes in MyTeam11 as co-presenting partners for PSL

    DSport ropes in MyTeam11 as co-presenting partners for PSL

    MUMBAI: DSport, a sports channel of Discovery Communications, have roped in fantasy sports platform MyTeam11 as the official broadcast co presenting partners along with the 4th Pakistan Super League.

    Apart from MyTeam11 a host of other brands will be seen as broadcast partners for the 4th Pakistan Super League, being telecast live on DSport in India from 14 February – 17 March 2019.  My Team 11 is a homegrown brand and was the co-presenting sponsors for the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League 2019.

    “Fantasy Sports is a necessity for any sport and league to grow as it’s a natural extension for the fans to stay engaged to their favourite sport even after the live action is over. MyTeam11 with their recent associations has only showcased the growing interest and increasing fan engagement in Fantasy Cricket and hence it was but natural for us to get them on board as the Broadcast Partners for the Pakistan Super League,” said Lex Sportel MD RC Venkateish, the channel management partners for Discovery Sport.

    The tournament this year will be played across six cities from UAE and Pakistan. Defending Champions Islamabad United will clash against Lahore Qalandars in the season opener on the 14 February in Dubai. The tournament this season will be played from the 14 February – 17 March 2019 in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Karachi and Lahore.

    In context to this association, MyTeam11 COO Sanjit Sihag said, “We are aiming at achieving international presence as a leading fantasy sports organisation thus, the said collaborations. We believe our partnership with PSL can reap both the series and us, great results in terms of fan engagement.”

    Further, MyTeam11 CEO Vinit Godara, highlighted how this collaboration will make PSL a popular call among fans. He said, “With MyTeam11 being a popular concept among sports fans, we believe that this broadcasting partnership with DSport for PSL can highly affect the popularity and fan base of the series. The players who will be participating in the tournament have a huge fan base in India and we are confident that the Indian fans will have a lot to look out for the future from the Pakistan Super League.”

    My Team 11 is a homegrown Fantasy Sports Platform and has in the past associated with Bangladesh Premier League as “Broadcast Co-Presenting Partners,” with RuPay Pro Volleyball League as “Official Fantasy Partner,” and with DD Sports as the “Associate Partners” for India vs New Zealand T20 series.

  • DSPORT to Telecast Pakistan Super League (PSL) in India

    DSPORT to Telecast Pakistan Super League (PSL) in India

    MUMBAI: DSPORT, a premium sports channel of Discovery Communications, will broadcast LIVE, the fourth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2019 in India this year. The Pakistan Super League is a franchise based Twenty20 cricket league, which was established by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2015. The Pakistan Super League was the second most watched T20 league in India last year.

    This year the tournament will feature some of the greatest T20 stars from International cricket viz; South African AB Devilliers, Wayne Parnell; Caribbean stars Keiron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Darren Sammy and Andre Russel; Kiwi cricketers Cory Anderson and Luke Ronchi alongwith Pakistani Superstars Shahid Afridi, Faqar Zaman, Mohammad Amir, Babar Azam and Wahab Riaz.

    The Pakistan Super League has always featured some of the top International as well as local T20 stars representing six franchisee teams from various regions of Pakistan. The tournament this year will be played across five cities from UAE and Pakistan. Defending Champions Islamabad United will clash against Lahore Qualandars in the season opener on the 14th February in Dubai. The tournament this season will be played from the 14th February – 17th March 2019 in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Karachi and Lahore.

    The Opening ceremony for the fourth Pakistan Super League will also be broadcast LIVE on DSPORT on 14th February 2019 and will feature performances from Pakistani sufi rock band Junoon, singers Fawad Khan along with performances from international stars like American rapper Pitbull, British singer Marcia Barrett and German band Boney M. The ceremony is scheduled to take place before the first match on 14 February 2019 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.