Mumbai: In a bid to amplify discussions and celebrate the cricket frenzy, Meta has embarked on a collaborative journey with over 250 content creators, uniting voices on Threads during the ongoing tournament. According to the 2024 GenZ Trend Talk report reveals a staggering statistic: over 90 percent of teens proudly identify themselves as part of a fandom, with cricket emerging as a primary passion. This fervor was unmistakably palpable during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which garnered a staggering 16.9 billion views on ICC’s platforms on Meta, a trend that continues to resonate today.
Some of these accounts include:
Teams – Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Experts – ex cricketer Akash Chopra, sports presenter Ridhima Pathak and analyst Mufaddal Vohra.
Creators – Naveen Singh aka bihariladka, Shreyas Mendiratta and Deepika Venkatachalam aka deepika_v__
“The current cricket fever is all about intense rivalries, passionate involvement and strong fan following. With platforms like Threads that enable fans and experts to voice their opinions and Instagram that allows fans and athletes to share moments and create unique content related to the games, we are dedicated to heighten this excitement through our partnerships and collaborations with creators from all over India. We’re thankful to our partners like Star Sports as well, to join in this journey,” said Meta, India director, Content and Community Partnerships Paras Sharma.
Meta has teamed up with Star Sports, as was done during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, to create engaging experiences for fans throughout the tournament. This is being achieved through regular interventions at various touchpoints, stated the company.
‘Ask Star’ – During a live match, fans can submit their questions to the commentary team at Star Sports on Threads, who will then select some of them to answer.
‘Ajab Gajab T20 Challenge’ – Star Sports developed a one-of-a-kind concept where former cricketers and a group of content creators played a game of box cricket before the start of the tournament. The participants included cricketers such as Harbhajan Singh, Irfaan Pathan, and Steve Smith, as well as content creators like Naveen Singh, Dharna Durga and Rishabh Shukla. This event was broadcasted on Star Sports and also available on reels for fans to watch.
‘Shor Squad’ – A group of selected creators will have the opportunity to have their reels broadcasted live during the matches.
“At Star Sports, our mission is to enhance the cricketing experience for fans across every platform. We are thrilled to bring the cricket extravaganza to life through our Creator Network program, joining hands with top creators and influencers to deliver an immersive experience by dialing up fan engagement, with initiatives like ‘Ask Star’ (Give fans a chance to ask questions to their favorite cricketing expert), ‘Dream Job’ (A chance to become an anchor on Star Sports) and the ‘Ajab Gajab T20 Challenge’ (A mixed team match between cricketing heroes & fans). Together with Meta, we’re redefining fan engagement and are committed to creating unforgettable money can’t buy experiences for every cricket enthusiast, uniting fans in the spirit of the game,” said Star Sports marketing head Vikram Passi.
In addition to partnerships with broadcasting giants, Meta has also forged alliances with cricketing powerhouses like Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders. Through collaborative efforts such as creator days, content creators were given the unparalleled opportunity to interact and collaborate with teams and players, further enriching the fan experience.
