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Tag: Rajasthan Royals

  • Rajasthan Royals looks at local handicraft to boost merchandising activities

    Rajasthan Royals looks at local handicraft to boost merchandising activities

    MUMBAI: At a time when the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises rely on normal things like T-shirts, caps, books for licensing and merchandising Rajasthan Royals have taken a different stance.

    It will use Rajasthan handicrafts to create a touch-point with its fan base. It has done a deal with Indiehaat Ventures, an organisation that aims at revitalising and redeeming the Indian handicrafts industry for domestic and global audiences. The partnership seeks to champion the cause of the rich arts, craft and workmanship of the Rajasthani people that the IPL franchise notes remains unexplored and unseen in India.

    The franchise adds that its aim has always been to epitomise the elegance, style, valour, and reflected the rich tradition and history of the region. Through the partnership, Indiehaat becomes the team‘s official ‘handmade merchandising partner‘. Rajasthani artisans will be provided with a commercial platform.

    In the coming weeks, the team will launch a line called ‘The Royal Collection‘ in handmade and ethnic Rajasthani goods. This will form the core of its new merchandising line for the current season and also for the year ahead. The collection will represent the handiwork of the state‘s artisans in Kantha, embroidery, Kilim as upholstery on furniture, patchwork and Sanganeri prints.

    The line will be launched with 25 designs in ethnic Rajasthani furniture and 25 designs in accessories such as bags, cushions, laptop covers, sleeves and stoles. New elements will be added every fortnight.

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said that the aim to encourage and promote the talent that Rajasthani people have in the area of arts and crafts. “The endeavour is new and different, and we trust it will provide a much-needed platform to local artisans in Rajasthan. It will also add to the exciting inventory of merchandise we offer fans.”

    Indiehaat Ventures director and partner Shailendra Singh said, “Indiehaat takes great pride in partnering with a team like Rajasthan Royals. As a cricketing franchisee, the team has always encouraged new talent and supported a number of significant causes in Rajasthan, their home state. We are confident that the venture will be very well received and mark the beginning of a great new interface between artisans and fans.”

    The line will be made available on stock and made-to-order basis through www.thechorbazar.com. The websites has started accepting orders. The joint venture also plans to vend through exclusive stores throughout India.

    The Rajasthani handicrafts industry currently export goods worth more than $600 million from the state and employs 0.6 million artisans directly or indirectly.

    Rajasthan Royals opening batsman Ajinkya Rahane said, “From nurturing school level cricketers to giving talented young players a chance to show case their skills in the league, Rajasthan Royals is a team that is known to support significant causes and provide new opportunities to people. As a player, I feel proud to see us moving into a unique area of business, which will help promote the incredible talent that Rajasthani people have in the area of arts and crafts.”

  • Rajasthan Royals collaborates with Provogue as ‘Official Fan Wear Partner’

    MUMBAI: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals announced the signing of leading fashion label Provogue as the team’s ‘Official Fan Wear Partner’ for the upcoming sixth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    This is the franchise’s 16th partner. The earlier partner in this category was Puma and that was a four-year deal. The new deal is for a year. The franchise will also announce two more partners in the coming days. Rajasthan Royals and Provogue organised a fashion extravaganza to mark the association.

    Interestingly, one of the franchises co-owners Shilpa Shetty Kundra collaborated with the brand’s designers and has unveiled her creations for Provogue that are specially crafted for the franchises fan community. The collection aims to embody the best of suave and sophisticated yet youthful and fun dressing at the same time.

    Taking a break from their on-field performance, the entire Royals brigade including, Captain Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaun Tait, Brad Hogg and Kevon Cooper, walked the ramp displaying Provogue’s range of merchandise adding to the extant oomph factor.

    The high point of the evening for Provogue’s grand collection was Shetty sashaying down the ramp with panache in the fan wear designed by her. Provogue CEO Tim Eynon said, “We are very thrilled to be associated with a team like Rajasthan Royals as Official Fan Wear Partner for this season of the IPL. Tonight we‘ve showcased among the very best in our specially created Spring Summer 2013 collection and we’re sure fans will love the ensembles. Cricket and fashion on one grand stage in a one-of-a-kind event, we really can’t ask for more!”

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “Provogue saw that if the IPL was used at a price point there would be a business opportunity for a lifestyle brand like it. There will be a lot of on-the-ground activation in malls. The products will be available initially in Rajasthan, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, and contests will be organised. Provogue’s activities will result in the Rajasthan Royals brand name being hyped. The deal involves a licensing fee as well as revenue sharing. Our aim is to create meaningful connect and excitement with our fans which is how our licensing and merchandising business will grow. Our fans are truly the brand ambassadors of Rajasthan Royals and carry the team’s spirit wherever they go.”

    Shetty said, “We are excited about this new venture with Provogue. Designing clothes has been a wonderful experience and I am delighted to have had a chance to do it for our fans. The collection is innovative, high quality, originally designed and priced to suit the taste and desires of our fan community.”

  • ‘We are not in talks with anybody to sell stake’ : Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer

    ‘We are not in talks with anybody to sell stake’ : Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer

    Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals has had a topsy-turvy journey in the last five years. It had a dream start when it won the inaugural IPL trophy under Shane Warne. Another high point in its five-year journey was when British-born businessman and actress Shilpa Shetty‘s husband Raj Kundra bought 11.7 per cent stake for $16.8 million, valuing the franchise at $140 million.

     

    Just when everything was going hunky dory, the BCCI threw a bombshell by terminating its franchise contract with Rajasthan Royals for breach of agreement. That was followed by a prolonged legal battle that ended in the courts reinstating the franchise in the IPL. That‘s not the end of it. The company‘s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) was rejected by FIPB several times. Besides, it was under the scanner of government agencies for alleged Fema violations.

     

    However, Rajasthan Royals has put all that behind it and is now focused on building a strong sporting franchisee. Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer believes that the best way to do this is by playing its own brand of cricket so that a fan loyalty is built over the years.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Iyer talks about the challenges that IPL franchises face and how Rajasthan Royals can grow to the next level.

     

    Excerpts:

    Q. The Rajasthan Royals franchise was bought for $67 million in 2008. What would be its estimated worth today?

    A. I don’t know what it would be valued at. But there are figures varying from $150-200 million.

    Q. Are the promoters considering selling stake?

    A. There are no talks with anybody at this stage. We are focused on delivering a very good product.

    Q. There have been allegations about lack of adequate corporate governance and transparency. Do you feel there is scope for improvement?

    A. If you are asking whether we lack in corporate governance, I would completely disagree. I would say that we were probably the only guys who went out and voluntarily made disclosures, including when we applied to the FIPB. Corporate governance is top priority for us and we would like to believe that we have ticked that in the box.

     

    There might have been some procedural misses here and there, which happens in any business. This is something that we want to address. When income tax and other government authorities ask questions, then you realise that you might have missed a couple of things here and there. We are being advised by top professionals.

    Q. Is it fair to say that the BCCI would not have terminated the franchise had there been more transparency?

    A. I would like to believe that we were transparent and so were the BCCI. The reason that the whole thing came up was something I don’t want to comment on as it is subjudice.
    ‘There will be some revenue growth this year but not exponential. Though more brands are coming in for sponsorship opportunities, their outlay is not as high as expected‘

    Q. The enforcement directorate has slapped a Rs 1 billion fine on the franchise. Have you appealed against this decision?

    A. Yes! We have appealed to a tribunal in Delhi.

    Q. What is the gameplan to grow the franchise’s brand value going forward?

    A. You have to focus on the product to grow the brand value. The quality of cricket the team plays is your product. We have won only three or four less games than the Chennai SuperKings.

     

    As long as you keep playing cricket well, the brand value will take care of itself. Obviously you add to that different things like licensing and merchandising.

    Q. What sort of revenue growth you expect this year?

    A. There will be some growth but not exponential. This will be impacted by the slowdown. The key is to go out and look for far more opportunities and not wait for them to knock on your door. You also need to be astute in terms of how you spend. That is what the franchises are trying to do.

    Q. What impact is the economic slowdown going to have in terms of revenue generation for the IPL?

    A. I would be lying if I said that it has not had an impact. There are more brands coming in for sponsorship opportunities. We have 15 sponsors and partners, including local brands like the State Bank of Jaipur and Bikaner. But the outlay the sponsors are putting in is not as high as expected. Earlier if a deal with a sponsor was worth say Rs 150 million, will he renew it for Rs 200 million? Probably not! But then you will get five smaller local guys who are each willing to pay Rs 10 million. So you will have to look at playing the volume game.

    Q. Is the situation as bad as 2009 when revenue fell by over 10 per cent for franchises?

    A. No! 2009 was a different situation. There was a complete global crisis going on. Currently that is not the case.

    Q. Who are the sponsors that are on board?

    A. We have prided ourselves on having a team that delivers value to sponsors. The only way that you can judge whether that is true or not is to see if sponsors keep coming back. The top notch brands have kept coming back like Ultratech (which remains the lead sponsor), Supertek, Garnier, Valvoline and Tata Consultancy Services.

     

    We ensure that what sponsors and partners want out of the IPL are met. We play our part in that whole thing. We have a fantastic client servicing team that ensures that this happens. We offer innovative products like investing in digital content. You have to give sponsors more value.

    Q. Could you talk about the YouTube initiative?

    A. The YouTube channel of ours has clips and behind the scenes stuff that cricketers do. Fans find this exciting. Is there a way in which sponsors can tap into that and do something innovative? Yes! Everybody acknowledges that digital will grow and be the medium of the future. Digital allows you to do different things in a cost effective manner.

    Q. What are the licensing and merchandising efforts made this year?

    A. Besides flags, T-shirts and bells and whistles, we are looking at an innovative merchandising option. This is about grassroots Rajasthan. Licensing and merchandising is a long term play. It takes four to five years and will depend on making sure that there is year round visibility for the franchise. Once that happens, licensing and merchandising will take off.

    Q. In terms of marketing, there doesn‘t seem to be much activity till two weeks before the IPL starts. Is two weeks enough of a time frame to generate fan interest?

    A. As a call to action, two to three weeks is enough. People know about the IPL already.

     

    We also look at innovative opportunities that come our way. Earlier this year we associated with the Jaipur Literary Festival and organised matches there. When important events happen in your city, you need to find a way to participate in them. But for focused marketing, two to three weeks of activity is enough.

    Q. Reports indicate that the IPL franchises are increasing ticket prices. Isn‘t this tricky given the economic slowdown?

    A. We haven’t increased the basic ticket prices. The hospitality prices have gone up. But we have enhanced the hospitality product offering so that the viewing experience is much better. We are negotiating with a five-star hotel for different kinds of food.

    Q. Are the Rajasthan Royals being remembered as a brand having famous faces like Shane Watson?

    A. The loyalty factor from our perspective is to ensure that fans remember the brand of cricket that we play. We have achieved this. We remain the underdog team but we have wooed fans by the quality of cricket we play. Hopefully, retention of a few players will be allowed.

    Q. Is it a good idea to keep having auctions every few years?

    A. There may be some confusion about who plays for whom, but it will even out over time. The key is that the brand of cricket that the different IPL franchises play has to be distinct. So the teams that are selected will reflect the brand of cricket played by that franchise.

     

    You need auctions so that the league remains competitive. Team composition strategies have to be built to reflect the team personality. There are also transfer windows which ensure that gaps can be filled.

    Q. The IPL will have a new team owned by a television media company. What impact will this have?

    A. It is a major development. When they (Sun TV) go out and sell sponsorships, there will be cross synergies that they can offer.

     

    From the league’s perspective, it is cool that franchises like this will use their platform to advertise their team. It means more visibility for the IPL. The challenge, though, is that the Hyderabad team is still associated with ‘Deccan‘. So a complete re-branding exercise will have to be done by Sun TV.

     

  • BookMyShow.com is official ticketing partner for six IPL teams

    BookMyShow.com is official ticketing partner for six IPL teams

    MUMBAI: Entertainment ticketing portal BookMyShow.com has announced its association with the SunRisers Hyderabad team for IPL 2013, making it the official ticketing partner for six out of nine IPL teams this season.

    With this development, BookMyShow.com will be managing 60 per cent of the ticketing inventory for IPL 2013, making it the largest ticketing provider this season.

    BookMyShow.com has been associated with IPL teams for four consecutive years and will be the official ticketing partner for Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad this season.

    BookMyShow.com founder, CEO Ashish Hemrajani said, “We are happy to be long standing partners for these IPL teams, witnessing a year on year increment of around 18 – 25 per cent in revenues for our organisers each season. Online sales have become an essential element for every IPL team with 85 per cent of IPL sales in high internet penetration markets derived from online sales. Even low internet penetration markets have emerged with 75 per cent of tickets sold online last season, showcasing a 35 per cent growth in online sales since its inception

    “Being market leaders‘ in this space, we understand the sensitivity of each market and implement different and effective marketing strategies in accordance to the same. We are associated with 6 IPL teams this season, managing more than 15 lakh tickets for the IPL 2013 teams and we hope to partner with two more teams in IPL 2014.”

    In order to extend its reach among customers, BookMyShow.com has tied up with leading brands including Café Coffee Day, BMW, Mercedes Benz and more. Apart from being the official ticketing partner, BookMyShow.com will also manage the on-ground operations for all six teams which would encompass strategy and planning, ticket printing with security features, ground sales, home delivery, inventory management, stock distribution, cash collection, corporate and package sales, online marketing, gate entry validation plus management and reconciliation (post event). BookMyShow.com has also been awarded with accreditation management for four IPL teams – Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, Pune Warriors India and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

    Apart from booking tickets online, customers can also view details such as seating arrangement, venue, offers, players‘ information, ticketing outlets and delivery tracking of tickets. One can also purchase the official teams‘ merchandise on the website. BookMyShow.com also has a customer support that can be reached online, on the phone or through its retail outlets for addressing any ticketing issues.

    Tickets for Delhi Daredevil, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad are currently live on BookMyShow.com. Tickets for Pune Warriors India will be live from today 25 March.

  • Supertech to continue as associate sponsor of Rajasthan Royals

    MUMBAI: Rajasthan Royals has extended its team sponsorship contract with real estate company Supertech for season 6 of the
    Indian Premier League (IPL).

    Supertech has been associated with the team as Associate Sponsor since 2011. The objective of the association is to leverage the team image which has a great combination of young, energetic, dependable and experienced players.

    Supertech Director Mohit Arora said, “Rajasthan Royals has given consistent performances in the previous league and has earned a huge fan following. We are thrilled to support and be a part of this strong team again and enjoy this exciting journey together. We are looking forward to witnessing yet another exciting season of cricket this IPL too.”

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “Rajasthan Royals has benefited immensely from this long standing partnership with
    Supertech. We are proud to extend our relationship with such a recognised, dedicated and supporting brand as Supertech.”

  • Garnier Men renews deal with Rajasthan Royals for IPL

    MUMBAI: Garnier Men, which deals with skincare for men, announced its partnership with IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals as their official grooming partner at IPL this season.

    The Pink city’s cricket warlords, both Indian and International, will be using personal skin care and grooming products from Garnier Men. Garnier Men understands the grooming needs of men on the field and offers a range of effective, high-quality products that are extremely relevant to them.

    Continuing their association for a second year in a row, Garnier Men along with the Rajasthan Royals plans to increase their engagement with consumers in Jaipur through online and on-ground activations closer to the IPL 2013. Fans of the Rajasthan Royals team will have some great opportunities to meet the cricketers in person and get fantastic grooming tips from Garnier Men at the same time.

    L‘Oréal India director, consumer products division Satyaki Ghosh said, “We are proud to be associated with IPL – one of India’s most loved and followed sport properties. Garnier and IPL share synergies as both of them have been pioneers in their own space. In the second year of its partnership, with our robust marketing and digital outreach, we aim to reach out to the cricket crazy audience in India in general and Rajasthan in particular.”

    Garnier GM Nathalie Gerschtein said, “This is the second time that we have associated Garnier Men with the Rajasthan Royals as their official grooming partner as we understand the importance and significance of skin care that these top class players require while playing cricket in various parts of the country in extreme weather conditions. We believe that our easy to use product range is the most apt package to take care of the players’ grooming needs on and off the field.”

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “2013 will mark Rajasthan Royals’ second year of partnering with a widely recognized and leading brand Garnier Men. We thank them for their support as our official grooming partner. We look forward to creating ever growing value for the brand this year as well.”

    Cricketers are always on the move and weather conditions keep changing from time to time. Be it Jaipur or Chennai, the cricketers need to pay special attention to their skin and body care needs, due to the extreme weather conditions in our country. The constant exposure to heat, sun, dust, dirt and pollution causes several issues like skin tanning, oily skin, dark spots, body sweat and odor.

    Garnier Men offers an extensive product range of face washes, moisturizers and deodorants that is the perfect solution for the above problems. Garnier Men caters to the players’ grooming needs, thus leaving them feeling fresh all day long.

  • Valvoline Cummins renews partnership with Royals for 2nd year

    MUMBAI: Valvoline Cummins has extended its association with Rajasthan Royals for season 6 of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The extension will see the company continuing as Associate Sponsor for the second consecutive year, sporting its logo on the Non- Leading Arm of the players.

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “Since last year’s association, Valvoline has been a very valuable partner of Rajasthan Royals. We are delighted to be extending our association with the brand and look forward to helping them create ever-growing value and achieve the best possible exposure through the partnership.”

    Valvoline Cummins CEO Sandeep Kalia said, “Valvoline takes great pride in partnering with excellent sporting teams across the globe. Our relationship with the brand during the last season has been very rewarding. We are excited to extend our partnership with such a strong and dedicated team as Rajasthan Royals.”

  • Rajasthan Royals teams up with DSC Jaipur Literature Festival 2013

    MUMBAI: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals and the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival have announced a partnership for the 2013 edition of the festival which is scheduled at Jaipur‘s Diggi Palace from 24 January 2013.

    As part of the association, on the eve of the festival, a friendly cricket match will be played between teams comprising reputed authors, Rajasthan Royals management and some of the local players. The ‘Authors XI‘ versus ‘Royals Management XI‘ match will be held in the Rajasthan capital, home to the Royals, on 23 January between 2 and 5 pm.

    The Authors XI team includes names such as Richard Beard, Sam Carter, Nicholas Hogg, James Holland, Tom Holland, Anthony McGowan, Anosh Irani, Alex Preston and Charlie Campbell, the captain of the team. Sreesanth, Ashok Menaria, Ajit Chandela, Dishant Yagnik, Raghu Iyer, Tarun Tejpal and Lakshya Raj Singh Mewar are among the eminent players constituting the Royals Management XI team.

    In addition to this, Rajasthan Royals captain, Rahul Dravid is part of a session titled ‘Corner of a Distant Playing Field‘ and will be in conversation with Rajdeep Sardesai, unravelling the dharma of the game. This session presented by Rajasthan Royals will be conducted at 3.30 p.m. on 26 January.

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “As a team that epitomizes the elegance, royalty and rich heritage of Rajasthan, we are proud and excited to be associated with the DSC Jaipur Literature festival. Other than being a magnificent platform to celebrate the wonderful art of writing, the festival is extraordinary because it is the most prestigious event in the Asia-Pacific region to recognise the works of both national and international writers. We respect its incredible spirit and vibrant character and wish the writers, participants and guests a wonderful creative experience!”

    Rajasthan Royals is also promoting the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival on its digital platforms.

  • Rajasthan Royals ties up with Fire in Babylon

    MUMBAI: IPL team Rajasthan Royals has tied up with documentary movie ‘Fire in Babylon‘, for its theatrical release in India. Fire in Babylon will release across key metros on 21 September in all PVR cinemas.

    The Rajasthan Royals saw an instant fit with the theme of the story and have engaged with Fire in Babylon to be a part of the release promotions of the movie.

    Fire in Babylon is a documentary directed and written by Stevan Riley about the great West Indies cricket team of the 1970‘s and 1980‘s. It highlights the struggles the West Indies faced as a country and how cricket acted as a unification factor in bringing the many islands, which were recently independent from the British colonial rule, together under the banner of a world class cricketing unit.

    Shot in a documentary style, it features the stories of Viv Richards, Malcom Marshal, Michael Holding and Andy Roberts.

    Speaking on the association, Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “We found an immediate connect with the amazing story of the legendary West Indies cricket team, and that of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. We are very happy to be associated with the movie and encourage our fans to step out and enjoy this beautiful and well told story.”

    Speaking on behalf of the Fire in Babylon team Sunaman Sood said, “We feel extremely privileged that the Rajasthan Royals have partnered us to promote the film. Having large fan base of cricket aficionados with a keen cricketing sense, The Royals form an ideal fit for us to showcase and build awareness for the film.”

  • Rajasthan Royals terminates deal with RN Sports Club

    MUMBAI: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals has terminated its agreement with one of its ad partners, RN Sports Club, due to non payment of dues.

    Rajasthan Royals has initiated due legal process for recovering its dues from RN Sports.

    A statement issued by the franchise says, “Please note that RN Sports is no longer associated with Rajasthan Royals or any of their players or members and anyone engaging with RN Sports in any manner shall do so at their own risk. RN Sports Club no longer have any right to use the RR Logo or represent in any manner their association with Rajasthan Royals.”