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Tag: Ravi Krishnan

  • Prapti Anand joins Stepathlon advisory board to boost social impact

    Prapti Anand joins Stepathlon advisory board to boost social impact

    Mumbai: Stepathlon proudly announces the appointment of Prapti Anand to its global advisory board, reinforcing its dedication to ‘Commerce with Compassion’. Prapti brings extensive international expertise in strategic philanthropy across both public and private sectors, most recently leading CSR investments and partnerships for Fondation CHANEL in APAC.

    Stepathlon CEO, Ravi Krishnan expressed enthusiasm about the new addition: “Stepathlon’s mission is to be both a ‘thought and thoughtful leader’. Prapti has the capability  and conviction to carry and ensure we fulfil our purpose.Prapti’s active involvement and experience will strengthen our commitment to ‘Commerce with Compassion’ and ‘Endeavour with Empathy’”

    Anand’s reputation for building impactful, multi-sector partnerships aligns seamlessly with Stepathlon’s goal of promoting well-being. Her leadership is set to enhance the company’s initiatives that foster social impact through strategic alliances.

    Anand shared her excitement: “I am excited to join a company that prioritises well-being and social impact  blending purpose with commerce. I look forward to contributing to Stepathlon’s ambition to  create a healthier, happier population and planet!”

    Stepathlon’s commitment to improving global well-being is set to deepen with this strategic appointment, advancing its vision for a compassionate approach to business and community growth.

  • Stepathlon partners with Major League Rugby

    Stepathlon partners with Major League Rugby

    Mumbai: Stepathlon has announced its first major US partnership with Major League Rugby (MLR). Stepathlon is a fan acquisition and engagement platform, to promote fitness and well-being among rugby players and fans starting in the off-season and leading up to the 2025 season.

    MLR aims to foster a culture of fitness and community through this collaboration, encouraging fans across the United States to participate during the off-season with their favorite team and athletes across the league. This initiative will not only enhance physical fitness but also build camaraderie among fans, fostering a stronger connection with the sport.

    “We are thrilled to partner with Stepathlon to promote health and wellness within the rugby community,” said US Major League Rugby CEO Nic Benson. “Staying fit and active is crucial for our players, and we are excited to work with Stepathlon to inspire our fans to live a healthier lifestyle.”  

    The partnership between US Major League Rugby and Stepathlon represents a new era of collaboration between sports marketing and wellness companies, aiming to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of athletes and fans alike.

    The partnership between Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in the U.S., and Stepathlon aims to engage athletes and fans year-round by blending the reach and influence of sports marketing with the positive impact health and wellness initiatives can have.

    Stepathlon founder and CEO, Ravi Krishnan, said, ” Having attended MLR matches this season, I was struck by the passion of the fans. We want to ensure that this passion continues to thrive during the off-season. We also know that healthier fans are happier fans, so we aim to give something back to those who support their teams so keenly throughout the season. Stepathlon’s goal is to help fans stay connected with their favorite teams and players, as well as with each other, whether or not games are being played.”

  • Stepathlon strengthens advisory board with renowned industry leaders

    Stepathlon strengthens advisory board with renowned industry leaders

    Mumbai: Global fan engagement and data platform Stepathlon welcomes four new esteemed advisors to its already impressive advisory board:

    . Jim Glover is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in global partnerships and client relationships. He previously served as deputy chairman at CSM Sport and Entertainment, where he played a key role in driving growth and success

    .  Ashutosh Srivastava, a renowned media and entertainment expert with extensive experience as former CEO of GroupM in APAC, who brings deep understanding of fan engagement, content creation, and brand building

    .  Nextdoor co-founder and CTO Prakash Janakiraman, who brings his expertise in leveraging data to drive business growth and unlock the power of user insights and personalize experiences.

    . Advait Pandit, a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience building high-growth companies, comes in with his experience as Chief Architect at JioMart. His experience in product development, market strategies, and scaling operations will be crucial as Stepathlon expands its reach.

    Stepathlon founder and CEO Ravi Krishnan said: “We are privileged to welcome Jim, Ashutosh, Prakash and Advait to the Stepathlon Advisory Board. Their diverse expertise aligns perfectly with our vision for business growth. Their insights and guidance will be instrumental in creating innovative experiences that connect with audiences on a deeper level and to drive qualitative and quantitative benefits for our business, our clients and their stakeholders.”

    Excited to collaborate with Stepathlon, the advisors shared their perspectives.

    Jim Glover stated: “Throughout my career, I have witnessed the power of sports to unite communities and inspire individuals. Stepathlon’s innovative approach to fan engagement leverages this power to create meaningful experiences that go beyond the game. I’m thrilled to join the team and contribute my experience to help them unlock the full potential of their platform and connect with fans in even more impactful ways.”

    Ashutosh Srivastava added  “I’m passionate about the power of storytelling and community engagement, and Stepathlon’s platform has the potential to create truly transformative experiences for fans. I’m excited to contribute my expertise to deepen their audience connections and enhance engagement.”

    Prakash Janakiraman added “I see Stepathlon as a platform brimming with data potential. Its commitment to ethical collection and personalized experiences resonates deeply with my values. Leveraging my expertise in uncovering  user insights and driving data-driven growth, I’m excited to join the team and help Stepathlon realise its full potential to create positive change for fans, rightsholders, and brands alike.”

    Advait Pandit added: “The ability to scale and adapt to a growing audience is crucial for any successful platform. Stepathlon’s unique proposition lies in its flexibility and inclusivity, and I’m excited to bring my experience in building scalable technology solutions to support their expansion plans. I believe that by optimizing both the user experience and operational efficiency, we can further harness the immense potential of Stepathlon to engage and connect with even wider communities.”

  • Cocofly signs on Kohli, ties up with Stepathlon Kids

    MUMBAI: Stepathlon Kids, a movement aimed at getting kids more active, announced today that Cocofly, One of India’s foremost packaged coconut-water brands launched by Nilgai Foods, will be a part of India’s first-ever gamified, mass participation health and wellness platform for kids. Cocofly signs on as Associate Sponsor with Stepathlon Kids for a three year partnership.

    Indian cricket captain and fitness icon, Virat Kohli has partnered with Stepathlon Kids to create a generation of healthier, happier, and well-balanced children. With over 10 million obese children reported in India, and increasing evidence linking overall wellbeing to exercise, the movement will encourage kids to play, learn and share their way to a fitter and more fulfilling future in all aspects – physical, nutritional, emotional and mental.

    The association between Stepathlon Kids and Cocofly combines the two most important fundamentals of health – eating well and exercise – amplifying the message that health can and must be an essential part of one’s daily routine from an early age.

    Natural coconut water is fat-free, low in sugar, rich in essential minerals and tastes great, so Cocofly which is sold in the form of a convenient pack, addresses concerns of people around hygiene and allows consumers to energize themselves anytime and anywhere.

    Nilgai Foods co-founder Arjun Gadkari said, “Cocofly has been launched to fill the gap of a really wholesome and tasty drink that will be enjoyed by kids in a healthy and convenient manner. The partnership with Stepathlon Kids ensures that the next generation does not make the same mistakes as the generation before them and is equipped with the right attitudes and healthy habits from an early age.”

    Participants will take part in teams of two in a 30 day race around a “Virtual World” on the Stepathlon Kids platform, as they engage with a digital avatar of Virat Kohli. Each child’s daily activity will be clocked by a Stepathlon Budd-E Pedometer and converted into points on the online platform. Every team will compete with teams across the country and the winners and other lucky participants will get a chance to meet Virat Kohli. Kids will be encouraged to learn from and share engaging content with their peers on the platform. Parents who are critical partners in their children’s growth will be able to participate in their child’s journey on the Race platform through various challenges while also being able to track their child’s wellness metrics.

    Stepathlon Lifestyle co-founder & CEO Ravi Krishnan said, “Cocofly is a natural partner in the battle against unhealthy beverages and childhood obesity. It is a beverage, which is both tasty and naturally isotonic.”

  • ‘IPL has aspirations to evolve into a major league like the EPL’ : Ravi Krishnan- Rajasthan Royals vice chairman

    ‘IPL has aspirations to evolve into a major league like the EPL’ : Ravi Krishnan- Rajasthan Royals vice chairman

     After succeeding in the first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Emerging Media-owned Rajasthan Royals has big plans to develop the franchise into a global brand. Part of the agenda is to do a variety of lucrative commercial deals and break even before three years.

     

    Emerging Media is looking at raising around $20 million by selling 10 per cent of its stake. The company is in the process of appointing bankers to find a private equity partner, ahead of an initial public offering (IPO).

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Rajasthan Royals vice chairman Ravi Krishnan spells out the franchise’s future strategies.

    Excerpts:

    The IPL franchisees are said to have recovered close to 80 per cent of the money they paid to the Board of Control for Cricket in India in the first year. Does the huge success of the first edition of IPL mean that Rajasthan Royals will break even faster than the earlier three-year target?
    We are revising our plans positively, though I can’t comment exactly on the figures. We spent less on acquiring the franchise and invested judiciously. We did not sign an expensive contract with a Bollywood star; nor did we spend heavily on advertising campaigns. I have never seen Chicago Bulls run an ad campaign; it is PR-led and builds value from the success that it enjoys. You could focus on the peripheral stuff as well, but the IPL at the end of the day is a sporting competition.

    Since we played well and won the inaugural IPL tournament, this has opened up more opportunities for us like playing in the Champions T20 League. We will, thus, be in a position to rake in more money.

    What are the commercial opportunities that have opened up for you after your success?
    We are scouting for strategic partnerships. There are some obvious ones like sponsorships on the shirt, etc. Then there are those that are not so obvious that will showcase the success of our franchise. We will be announcing more details later.

    What are the plans in the licensing and merchandising arena?
    We are in discussions with different parties for tie ups. We have a very broad licensing and merchandising programme, which would cover a range of goods and services.

    Would it be a challenge for franchisees to get sponsors at high value because of the global economic downturn?
    Even if some sectors have been affected by the downturn, other clients will come on board. When the tobacco embargo came in and Wills stopped sponsoring cricket, there were predictions of doom. However, other companies stepped in. Advertisers can’t ignore the IPL. I do not think that there is cause for any of us to panic.

    Why are some franchisees including Rajasthan Royals looking at raising funds by divesting stake. Isn’t this coming too soon and at a time when there is a global downturn?
    There are different reasons for selling a stake. For us, the aim is to fund the development of the franchise.
    ‘We will be diluting a small part of the equity and are looking at the private equity route. We are in the process of appointing bankers‘

    Are you looking at private equity investors as it is a bad time to go for an IPO?
    We will be diluting a small part of the equity and are looking at the private equity route. We are in the process of appointing bankers.

    Up next for the Rajasthan Royals is the Champions T20 League. How do you see this developing as a property?
    I think that it will be as significant for cricket as the Champions League is to soccer. In tennis you have the year-end Masters Cup where only the best of the best get to play. The Champions T20 League will occupy a similar mind space. It is being held for the first time and so there is some uncertainty among some parties; but I think it will do really well. It will be the icing on the cake when you talk about global domestic competitions.

    One of the things that EPL (English Premier League) clubs have done is to market themselves through foreign tours. What plans do you have in making Rajasthan Royals a major brand?
    You have to remember that the EPL and its clubs are 100 years old. IPL has just finished its first year. While it is new, the IPL has aspirations to evolve into a major league in world sport like the EPL.

    What role will Rajasthan Royals play in helping Emerging media become a player to be reckoned with on the global stage?
    I think that the success of Rajasthan Royals will provide a platform for the company to enter into other areas. However at the moment, we are going into the Champions T20 League, which will be followed by another IPL season next year.

    What is your strategy going to be when the trading window opens on 15 December?
    We are looking at various permutations and combinations. The fact is that our team had seven nationalities. The public loved seeing Shane Warne, Sohail Tanveer and Graeme Smith on the same team. This lent freshness to the proceedings.

     

    The trading window is an innovation that fans look forward to. Who is going to be in the team? Who will not be there? Who will be traded? There will be a lot of drama around this. This is what happens in the US with college drafts for baseball and basketball. The composition of some teams in the IPL will change which will cause speculation and excitement.

    What were the things discussed at the recent meeting in Bangkok to improve the IPL?
    We had a conference in Bangkok to debate on the areas where we can improve upon. It was a three-day session that looked at different things – from organisation to ticketing to hospitality.

    Hospitality as you mentioned is an area that could be improved upon. What are Rajasthan Royals’ plans in this?
    We recently launched our membership programme. We benchmarked this against other membership programmes globally. It is a five-tier programme and also includes kids. Creating a community can contribute to the financial success of the franchise as they would buy tickets, merchandise products and also attend special events. We are the first IPL franchise to launch a structured membership programme.

     

    Our membership programme could create life-long fans for the franchise. I have supported a football club in Australia since I was five years old. I am a repeat buyer of their jerseys and other club merchandise. It is about building a community and then finding ways to get them excited. Giving them special offers is one such way.

    What is the impact that IPL will have on world cricket and on the business of sports marketing?
    Let me take the second point first. In terms of sports marketing, it is providing a viable platform for companies to get involved with cricket. It could be through attaching themselves to the league itself or to a franchise or getting visibility on the broadcasting platform. The fact that there is also a Bollywood element to it has made the IPL an interesting marketing platform.

     

    The IPL has also brought in opportunities for service providers like ticketing companies, ad agencies and firms that specialise in hospitality.

     

    As far as the world of cricket is concerned, the IPL has found its place. English and Sri Lankan players badly want to play in it. The IPL offers players the chance to make the most out of their short career spans. While the Future Tours Programme might make it difficult for all players to take part, the way the BCCI and other boards are dealing with the issue is good.

     

    The IPL has also upped the ante as far as careers in sports go for Indians. Cricketers who were unheard of, can make more money here than from playing the Ranji Trophy.
    As a sports marketer, do you feel that there is danger of Test cricket and ODIs getting devalued as T20 grows in importance?
    This sport has had its origins in Test cricket and it would be wrong if the people in charge of the future of cricket, were not concerned about this format losing its lustre. The gatekeepers need to ensure that there is enough opportunity for the various formats to survive. The administration has to see to it that no format is overplayed or underplayed.
    Would the league franchise model for another sport like hockey or soccer work?
    A lot of things have to be pulling together in the right direction for this to succeed – the sports administration, the broadcast platform, the corporate community and the players.