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Tag: Royal Rumble

  • Ten Sports to bring MotoGP to India; introduce new racing league

    Ten Sports to bring MotoGP to India; introduce new racing league

    MUMBAI: The avenue for non-cricket sports properties like kabaddi, tennis, wrestling, and football, which saw a great start last year is set to grow bigger. The newest entrant is the niche sport Moto Grand Prix popularly known as Moto GP.  

     

    According to sources, Ten Sports has inked a five year deal with the sports property. Previously, Moto GP was a non exclusive property shared by three sports networks; Star India, Neo Sports and Ten Sports. But with the new deal coming in place and the two partners reaching a fine print, Ten Sports has gained an exclusive deal with Moto GP beginning from 1 February 2015.

     

    If multiple sources are to be believed, there will also be a set of new programming and races wrapped around it including studio produced shows to propel the sport’s popularity in India. What’s more, the network is also looking to foray into introducing a new racing league in the country.

     

    When contacted, Ten Sports officials denied the development. 

     

    On the other hand, the network is in a celebratory mood with the success of another property-World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). “The response has been fantastic as we have reached out to a mass audience via Facebook, Twitter Google Hangouts etc. When India was playing against Australia in Oz and we declaring we were going live with RAW, we were trending much above India playing with Australia on Twitter,” says Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi. Ten Sports had decided to go live with flagship properties like RAW and specials like Royal Rumble during the early morning slot at 6:30 am. 

     

    “We thought we were not going to do well but received more than 900 emails with regards to it. I am happy the way our ad revenues are shaping too,” adds Sethi.

     

    The network is also looking at the prospect of airing WWE in regional languages. Besides, with the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and the network having the rights of Pakistan cricket, it is busy promoting the mega event in the neighbouring country and will be announcing its plans soon.

  • Ten Sports to continue as the arena for WWE till 2019

    Ten Sports to continue as the arena for WWE till 2019

    MUMBAI: As reported first by indiantelevision.com, Taj TV and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) have reached a new agreement starting January 2015 during which WWE will be available exclusively on the Ten Sports Network for a further five years till 2019. WWE has been broadcasted on Ten Sports since the launch of the channel in 2002.

    Established flagship shows: RAW and Smackdown will air on prime time for Indian audiences featuring top superstars. WWE show NXT which brings the best action from the rising WWE superstars and total divas, a WWE reality show will also be aired on the network. Ten Sports will also offer these flagship shows in new shorter versions including a customised one hour RAW programme with a local flavour tailor-made for the Indian audience.

    “Monthly specials including Wrestlemania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series etc. have gained extreme popularity among viewers in India with high viewership numbers and increased viewer interaction and engagement across platforms,” says the channel. These specials along with the weekly RAW show will for the first time be carried live in India on the network which will also include the popular Main Event.

    On acquiring the property in this genre, Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi said, “We are very delighted to extend our long standing successful partnership with WWE for the Indian subcontinent. WWE shows are enormously popular in the region and WWE broadcasts are synonymous with the Ten Sports Network having been broadcasted on our channels since 2002. With this new deal till 2019, we promise to offer more hi-quality entertainment and breakthrough programming and engagement opportunities for fans.”

    WWE executive vice president international Gerrit Meier said that India remains a strategically important market for WWE. He added, “We are thrilled to continue our long-term partnership with Ten Sports, the region’s leader in sports programming. As the value of the WWE brand and our content continues to increase around the world, the scale and scope of this new agreement illustrates our ability to drive a passionate and engaged audience as well as the potential we have for future growth.”

    Ten Sports will also air WWE content in multiple Indian languages for the first time and bring WWE live events back to India in 2015.

    Sethi said, “We have the key building blocks in place to consolidate our position as a leading sports network in the sub-continent and we are confident of increasing our market share in times to come. With the retention of WWE rights, we are well on the path to achieve and exceed our planned success.”

    The agreement marks another major coup for Ten Sports Network that recently announced major acquisitions including UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League Rights, Commonwealth Games 2018, English Football Rights, German Cup amongst others.

  • Dave Batista to headline Wrestlemania XXX, conquers Royal Rumble 2014

    Dave Batista to headline Wrestlemania XXX, conquers Royal Rumble 2014

    MUMBAI: He came. He saw. He conquered.

     

    Dave Batista a.k.a The Animal made his come back after nearly a four-year absence from WWE. And he proved he hadn’t lost any of his killer instinct as he eliminated Roman Reigns to win the 2014 Royal Rumble Match.

     

    Batista  With his epic victory – his second in the 27-year history of the over-the-top-rope brawl – Batista began his calculated march toward WrestleMania XXX, where he will attempt to achieve the one goal that led to his return: win the WWE World Heavyweight Title.

     

    It was a commanding performance from The Animal, who entered the fray at No. 28 and eliminated four Superstars to stand tall. Long before that, however, it was CM Punk who kicked things off, entering at No. 1 for the second time in his career.

     

    The first Royal Rumble shocker came at No. 14 when the massive Kevin Nash returned to WWE and immediately eliminated Jack Swagger before going after both Rollins and Dean Ambrose of The Shield at the same time. Big Sexy didn’t last long, though, as the No. 15 entrant – Roman Reigns – tossed Nash, Kofi and Dolph Ziggler in short order. It was just the beginning of what would become a legendary Rumble Match performance for the muscle of The Shield.

     

    The next unforeseen entrant was JBL, as he left the commentary table at No. 24, and entered the ring in a shirt and tie. Yet by the time he handed off his coat to Michael Cole, he was sacked by the domineering Reigns. Despite his limited appearance, JBL still inspired chants of “You still got it!” from the WWE Universe. With that, Punk, Batista, Sheamus and Reigns stood as the final four, but The Straight Edge Superstar didn’t last long as Kane reemerged and pulled Punk out of the ring (thus tying Shawn Michaels for all-time Royal Rumble Match eliminations with 39). The Director of Operations continued his vicious assault on the former WWE Champion by chokeslamming him through the Spanish announce table.

     

    Sheamus was the next to go as he was dispatched by Reigns, who eliminated 12 Superstars – 40 per cent of the contest’s participants – to break Kane’s 13-year-old record for the most competitors eliminated in a single Royal Rumble Match. With anticipation reaching a fever pitch, Batista and Reigns squared off. Bone-jarring spears followed as the upstart tested the veteran’s resolve; ultimately, though, it was The Animal who survived as he launched Reigns out of the ring with one arm.

     

    With the ring now clear of every Superstar but one, Batista stood supreme as the winner of his second Royal Rumble Match. As many greats have done before him, The Animal pointed into the rafters where the WrestleMania XXX sign hung. What awaits him there remains to be seen, but the Road to WrestleMania has begun, and a determined Animal is leading the stampede to New Orleans.