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Tag: Saina Nehwal

  • Star Sports innovates to build Saina Nehwal international fanbase

    Star Sports innovates to build Saina Nehwal international fanbase

    MUMBAI: Keeping up with its commitment of building and supporting heroes in Indian sports, Star Sports is giving it’s viewers a reason to ‘cheer’ India’s shuttling superstar Saina Nehwal. The leading sports broadcaster is recruiting 20 passionate Indian fans to join the ‘Saina Squad,’ an ensemble of Saina Nehwal supporters who will be flown to Dubai to cheer on the ace shuttler at the BWF World Superseries finals, 9 – 13 December 2015.

     

    Currently ranked second in the world, Nehwal is one of India’s biggest sporting icons. She reflects the aspirations of millions of Indians and has a huge following of fans cutting across demographics. That same support, however, is missing when she plays abroad. But now, with Star Sports forming the #SainaSquad, she can count on an army of fans cheering her on in Dubai.

     

    The ‘Saina Squad’ will play from the stands and support the Badminton prodigy during the tournament. The ubiquitous ensemble will drive, motivate and cheer the ace shuttler as she will take on the world’s best players in the Emirates state.

     

    Star India COO Sanjay Gupta said, “Saina Nehwal, with her exceptional performances in the recent past, is the new sporting icon in the country. From reaching the summit of the sport to medals in Olympics and Superseries, Saina has done the country proud. As a broadcaster, we believe in bringing the fans closer to the game and their heroes. Keeping Saina’s growing fanbase in mind, we decided to form an ensemble of fans that will support her during her next international tour. We are confident ‘Saina Squad’ will not only create a platform for her fans but will also help increase the following of the sport.”

     

    Saina Nehwal said, “The support I have at home in India is phenomenal and while I do have followers internationally, there’s still a certain buzz that’s missing when I’m playing abroad. I’m always striving to give my best on the court for the nation but having my own army of fans cheering for me in Dubai will definitely give me a massive boost. I would like to thank Star Sports for giving me my own army of fans through ‘Saina Squad’.”

     

     

     

    ‘Saina Squad’ will be shortlisted after a series of contests and activities on Social media. The first of those contests – featuring 20 cards celebrating Saina’s career achievements – kicked off on November 9. Fans can tweet using the hashtag #SainaFact to get a card. Those who collect all 20 cards will be eligible to be shortlisted. The activity will be followed by a quiz contest, an online treasure hunt, a puzzle featuring Saina’s top moments for fans to solve and a Saina chant competition. Finally, participants will have to answer why they think they are fit to join the ‘Saina Squad’.

     

    The film has been planned and executed by the in-house team. The creative team had Mustafa Rangwala, Prathamesh Sakte, Ajeet Mistry. The production house who executed the production was O2 films and was directed by Ninad Chava. The marketing team consisted of, Shubhranshu Singh, Jarmaan Randhawa, Snigdha S

     

     

    Activity Timelines:

    November 9-10                                :               Saina Factoids

    November 13-14              :               Video Quiz

    November 16                    :               Timeline Treasure Hunt

    November 17-18              :               Top Saina Moments

    November 20-21              :               Saina Chant & Cheer

    November 23-24              :               Last stage – Why should you be in the Saina Squad?

    November 25                    :               Announcement of the winners

     

     

  • Indian Badminton League’s second edition to be held in January 2016

    Indian Badminton League’s second edition to be held in January 2016

    MUMBAI: The second edition of the Indian Badminton League is all set to be held from 2 – 17 January, 2016. 

     

    In making the announcement, Badminton Association of India president Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta said, “It’s a proud moment for me today as I announce the second edition of the Indian Badminton League and which I can assure you, will be bigger and larger than the first edition. It will an exhilarating 16 days of non-stop badminton as world’s top notch players will fight it out in front of you for the title of IBL 2. Plus, what motivates me is the huge backing that we are receiving from various corporations, sponsors and broadcasters to get associated with the League. I am sure together we will give you another exciting edition of Indian Badminton League. The IBL is here to stay and we will ensure its continuity.”

     

    The press conference to announce the same was attended by Saina Nehwal, K Srikanth, Parupalli Kashyap and PV Sindhu.

     

    The action will kick-start with the opening ceremony and will conclude with the grand finale. While Indian badminton players are engraving their names across the world, the Indian Badminton League will bring together India’s top badminton players along with international players on the same platform wherein they will showcase high-class action.

     

    The conference even witnessed the introduction of Shuttle India – the six city school program to identify young talent at grass root level. The program will be played across various schools and each city will witness matches being played among the young students in both the boys and girls category.

     

    Speaking on the Shuttle India initiative, Dr. Gupta added, “The idea of creating a Badminton League was not only to get international players on the same platform but even create a platform for the young guns at the grassroots level to take the sport as a career and Shuttle India is an initiative towards that goal. With schools participating from across six cities, we are expecting huge participation amongst the students who are already getting formal training of the same at a local level.”

     

    The Indian Badminton League has already announced two franchisees wherein the Delhi franchisee has been taken by Infinite Computer Solutions and Lucknow will be backed by the Sahara Parivar. The rest of the franchisees are in advance talks and the announcement for the same to be made soon.

  • Edelweiss Group signs Saina Nehwal as brand ambassador

    Edelweiss Group signs Saina Nehwal as brand ambassador

    MUMBAI: Edelweiss Financial Services has appointed celebrated badminton player Saina Nehwal as its brand ambassador for a period of three years.

    The deal was initiated by IOS Sports & Entertainment.

     

    During the period of association, Nehwal will be part of a 360 degree multimedia national campaign. Additionally, the company’s logo will also feature on her jersey across domestic and international tournaments as a part of a sponsorship deal.

    Edelweiss Group chairman & CEO Rashesh Shah said, “Saina is an inspirational icon widely recognised by people across all corners of India, which is one of the compelling reasons to associate with her. More than that, she’s different – it is because of her that badminton is now watched by millions across our country. It is indeed a pleasure to sponsor the champion, Saina Nehwal and have her as Edelweiss’s brand ambassador.”

    Edelweiss will roll-out of a national level media campaign shortly.

    IOS Sports & Entertainment MD and CEO Neerav Tomar added, “In a multi-crore deal, we have signed Saina’s main sponsor branding on front of her jersey today. We are very happy to have Edelweiss on board.”

    Nehwal and Edelweiss go back a long way to the Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) days where Edelweiss was one of the first companies to promote women empowerment and sports via OGQ. “Edelweiss and I share similar values. For me, it’s about building a winning proposition to max the game and for Edelweiss, it’s to develop long term meaningful solutions for clients,’ said Nehwal.

  • Star Sports rides high on sponsorships for BWF Badminton World Championships

    Star Sports rides high on sponsorships for BWF Badminton World Championships

    MUMBAI: Star Sports has signed up high-profile brands as partners for the broadcast of the BWF Badminton World Championships, where India’s ace shuttlers are vying with other top players from around the globe for the title of World Champion.

    Bajaj Electricals is the presenting sponsor for the broadcast of the tournament, while Maruti and Ask Me are associate sponsors. Kellogg’s has signed on as the ‘solid start’ partner alongside weight-management company and nutritional products maker Herbalife, which is the nutrition partner for the broadcast of the tournament. Dr. Reddy’s Nise Gel has been signed as the pain-relief partner. The tournament, which kicked off on 10 August  in Jakarta will run until 16 August. All matches are being broadcast live on Star Sports.

    Bajaj Electricals joint managing director Anant Bajaj said, “The BWF World Championships is Badminton’s most prestigious tournament. It provides a brilliant platform for the continuously improving and promising Indian badminton squad to show their skills. Bajaj Electricals is proud to partner with Star Sports in this association and wish success and glory to Team India.”

    World no. 2 Saina Nehwal headlines a contingent of ‘Super Indians’ competing in the Championships, with the best of Indian talent like K. Srikanth, HS Prannoy and P.V. Sindhu,  who are among the top 20 badminton players in the world, also taking part.

    This tournament, as also the next twelve months, will be crucial for our badminton heroes as they gear up for the Rio Olympics next year.

    Herbalife International India vice president and country head Ajay Khanna added, “Herbalife is glad to be associated with Star Sports India for the telecast of the Badminton World Championship to Fuel Champions. Our endeavour is to strengthen awareness on the importance of nutrition in sports, which epitomize the healthy active lifestyle that we promote.We are glad to represent that through our competing athlete Saina Nehwal.”

    A Star Sports spokesperson said, “Badminton in India enjoys high participation rates, world-class training academies, and several star players, making the country a force to reckon with in the world of badminton. Star is proud to present the BWF World Championships which highlights our commitment to fostering a multi-sport culture in India. The support from brands like Bajaj Electricals, Kellogg’s, Nisegel, Herbalife, Maruti and AskMe only proves that our efforts to grow a multi-sport culture in India are paying off.”

    First held in 1985, the BWF World Championships were played every two years until 2005.  In 2006 the tournament became an annual fixture and is played every year except in the years when the Olympic Games are held. 

    BWF World Championships is the sport’s most prestigious tournament, along with the Olympics and confers the title of World Champion on the victor.

  • Saina Nehwal’s brand value set to soar with World No. 1 title

    Saina Nehwal’s brand value set to soar with World No. 1 title

    Soon after being crowned with the international title of World No. 1 badminton player, Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal went on to bag her maiden India Open Super Series title by defeating former world champion Ratchanok Intaton from Thailand.

     

    The two titles have indeed placed the Hisar born player on the global map as the game receives its due in the country. A swell up of her performances is also likely to contribute to her existing brand value, say sports marketers and celebrity marketers. However, not without adding a word of caution. Nehwal will have to continue with her existing pace to command a fat paycheck in the endorsement world.

     

    While prior to her consecutive wins, Nehwal commanded a price of Rs 70 lakh- 80 lakh for a one period deal according to industry experts, it could now easily touch up to Rs 1 crore–Rs 1.5 crore depending on how deep the brand’s pockets are.

     

    Celebrity and sports management firm, CAA KWAN COO Indranil Das Blah says that it is not just becoming the World Number one but also winning the Indian Open, which is a pinnacle no Indian born woman has achieved. “If you look at the current crop of female sports persons, there is no one remotely close to her in terms of achievement. So it will have a significant impact on her brand value, pricing and overall brand image,” he says.

     

    According to Blah, Nehwal has a strong story to tell because of her middle class back ground and therefore brands with a pan India appeal would latch on to her. “I don’t see her endorsing glamorous and niche brands but it could be brands that have a national interest and look at achieving women’s empowerment or women’s issues in the country,” he opines.

     

    Nehwal currently endorses and has been a part of brands across segments like Yonex, Fortune Cooking Oil, Indian Overseas Bank, Whisper sanitary napkins, Emami Fast Relief ointment, Herbalife health products, Top Ramen Noodles and Airtel 3G.

     

    According to media reports, Nehwal was signed by the telecom Airtel when she was world number three for less than Rs 1 crore. She had then won the Gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

     

    Asset managing director at assetfzc.com Sanjay M Lal, a veteran with over 20 years of expertise in the field of brand building and sports management, says that in order to have a reasonably impactful brand value, Nehwal will have to maintain her present status for the next nine to 12 months. “While she has been consistently performing and is a star in Indian badminton, but to be world number one is a different ball game altogether,” informs Lal.

     

    For brands that are fence sitters and were wondering to choose between female sports persons like Sania Mirza or Saina Nehwal, the wins will make it easier to settle and close the deal for Nehwal. However, some feel that the cash jump will not be very significant unless a large brand that has not matured comes into play. This will be the first step for Nehwal on the brand value chain.

     

    Impact of her win on the game? Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) CEO and former captain of Indian Hockey team Viren Rasquinha states that OGQ has been supporting the champion since 2009 and looked after the training aspect of Saina Nehwal. “Obviously its important to have  a role model and a great figure like Saina in every field. Because of her acheivement we hope that thousands of parents across the country will encourage  their kids, especilally their daughters to take to badminton.”

     

    Eureka Mobile Advertising senior vice president Viswanathan Ganapathy says, “There will definitely be a jump in the brand value. In the last few years, she has given global recognition to the game, which has happened after Prakash Padukone in 1980. Saina is a very good mix for an international and local brands as well and would be an ideal fit for a fitness product.”

     

    Ganapathy is of the opinion that Nehwal could ideally endorse brands like Complan and Horlicks, where the brand fit is perfect. Her consistent winning performances including the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics could make her as a relevant face for insurance brands too.

     

    It is important to note that when sports athletes and players sign an endorsement deal, they also ask the brand the kind of visibility they would gain. While Nehwal has placed Indian badminton on the global map, the domination of cricket continues as former cricket players like Kapil Dev still bag endorsement deals. It’s akin to how an industry expert, having worked with the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan and was associated with Percept India, puts it, “Anything other than cricket is like a great Bollywood movie breaking even. But it will not belong to the Rs 100 crore club that the Khans belong to. She was signed with Herbal Life, which is American brand but what have they advertised? For a player other than in the field of cricket, you need an advertiser who gives you Rs 5 lakhs but does promotions worth of Rs 50 lakhs.”

     

    When the visibility falls flat, it goes against the marketing grain of celebrities. However, on an optimistic note, Lal adds that her winning titles consistently have proved that brand ‘Saina Nehwal’ holds great promise. Only time will tell the brands that will sign Nehwal for her promise in the future. For now, take a breather girl. You deserve it and thank you for giving India its due recognition.

     

  • “Smart monetization can generate good revenue from badminton”: Prasana Krishnan

    “Smart monetization can generate good revenue from badminton”: Prasana Krishnan

    MUMBAI: Continuing the process of building a strong portfolio, Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports and entertainment channel Sony Six has acquired the rights of yet another event of international magnitude – the Yonex Sunrise Badminton Open.

     

    The second super series of 2015, the Indian open is one of the flagship badminton tournaments with a prize money of $250,000. Renowned shuttlers will fight their way in Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi to win the title.

     

    India’s contingent is led by top seed and World number 2 Saina Nehwal. It is for the first time in the last four years that a non Chinese woman player sits in the pole position before the start of the tournament. The other X-factor in the tournament is Olympic Gold medalist and five time World Champion Chinese superstar Lin Dan, who will fight hard against Danish top seed Jan O Jorgensen and India’s second seed Kidambi Srikanth to win the tournament and earn a Rio Olympic berth.

     

    The tournament has potential of upsets and high expectations as both Srikanth and Jorgensen defeated Dan in the recent past. Moreover, World Champion Carolina Marin may face Saina Nehwal if both eves manage to qualify for the final. Such uncertainties are the main reason for Sony Six’s decision to showcase the tournament.

     

    Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan says, “We’ve been having this tournament since a good time and the main reason behind it is the fact that it is played in India. Whenever a sport is played in India, the fan connect is more and a badminton tournament involving Saina Nehwal, Lin Dan and others is certainly a big thing.”

     

    Unlike cricket, badminton has a very limited space to fit in an advertisement during the course of the game. The fastest racquet sport of the world sees a mere one minute gap after 11 points when the players change court and hence making money from the sport is immensely difficult for the broadcasters.

     

    “It depends on how you manage. While it’s true that badminton does not have equal room for monetisation as cricket but we also have to understand that the acquisition value is also comparatively low and hence if you smartly manage and monetize, you can generate good revenue from badminton and other non cricket sports too,” Krishnan opines.

     

    Speaking on advertisers’ reaction to the tournament, Krishnan asserts, “We have got a good response so far. Our associate and co-presenting sponsors have been locked and we have sold out our inventory.”

     

    Total Lubricants has been roped in as co-presenter whereas Yonex Sunrise is the associate sponsor on-air.

     

    The acquisition is backed by marketing initiatives to generate awareness. “We have put ads on various channels of our network in order to back the asset and I am happy with the progress so far,” he adds.

     

    Multi-lingual feed in sports is fast becoming a trend. Not long back the Syed Modi Badminton tournament was aired in both Hindi and English on Sony Six and Pal respectively. However, Krishnan said that there are no such plans for the 2015 Indian Open. “With Syed Modi we tried something, which we may execute again in the near future but Sony Pal will not be involved this time and the Indian Open super series will only be aired in Sony Six and we will stick to the world feed.”

     

    IPL is knocking at the door and once the million dollar league starts, there are high possibilities of other sport properties of Sony Six getting suppressed by the glitz and glamour of IPL. When queried about the same, Krishnan says, “Yes there will be a lot of changes in the scheduling as the entire prime time is devoted to the IPL but that necessarily does not mean that other properties will get suppressed. We will use IPL, which is the biggest platform for promotion in India, to promote our established assets like Fight Sports, NBA and others. IPL actually benefits getting more viewers and complements the other sports that we have.”

     

    2014 was a good year for Sony Six as it touched new heights in terms of garnering viewership. The year started with India playing New Zealand followed by IPL and the FIFA World Cup. Continuing the growth process, Sony Six started 2015 by hosting the Australian Open Grand Slam, which was followed by the Africa Cup of Nation football. “We are trying to grow bigger and whenever there is an opportunity to acquire broadcasting rights of an event of international importance, we will aggressively go for it,” Krishnan informs.

     

    Badminton is the largest played racquet sport in the world and India is emerging as a strong contender in international events. However, the sports’ brand value was always under question. Commenting on the same, GroupM national director – entertainment, sports & live events Vinit Karnik says, “Badminton is a very popular sport in India. It is the only sport that is equally played by men and women. Having said that, the sport doesn’t deliver compelling ratings for advertisers to leverage its popularity. Popularity is restricted to follow the top three players, watching top three marquee matches only. Ratings only improve when Saina Nehwal plays her semis and finals. This needs to change for advertisers to look at badminton as a lucrative platform to promote their brands. Badminton as a sport needs aggressive marketing and more Indian players need to perform and win international marquee tournaments.”

     

    Adding to that, Maxus ESP client leader Jigar Rambhia asserts, “Unfortunately badminton is not an advertiser friendly sport and therefore it fails to attract sponsors. Also, there aren’t many opportunities to advertise with very few breaks for advertising. However, of late, there have been some opportunities like branding on the net, court and perimeter boards etc. This might be able to get some sponsors, which in turn can bring in revenue to broadcasters. Since there aren’t many opportunities to advertisers during telecast, brands don’t look at badminton as a promotion platform. Though this might change, as Saina Nehwal is likely to be World No. 1 if she reaches the finals of the Indian Open. In case that happens, advertisers will definitely start looking at the sport more seriously.”

     

    It remains to be seen if the Indian contingent in the super series successfully manages to overcome obstacles and win the prestigious title. The entire badminton fraternity will closely observe Nehwal as the World Number 1 spot is up for grabs. The crowd at Siri Fort will be biggest boost for Nehwal, even as Marin tries every possible option to block her progress.

     

  • Sony Six acquires rights of Yonex Sunrise India Open 2015

    Sony Six acquires rights of Yonex Sunrise India Open 2015

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports and entertainment channel Sony Six has acquired the rights to the Yonex Sunrise India Open 2015.

    The championship will be aired from 24 – 29 March. The tournament will be held at the Siri Fort Indoor Sports Complex in New Delhi and will witness some of India’s finest players including Srikanth Kadambi – the reigning Swiss Open champion, the world number two Saina Nehwal, Padma Shri winner P V Sindhu and the Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli Kashyap take part in the proceedings.

    Apart from the top crop of Indian talent, the tournament will also feature the best of international badminton talent including Jan O Jorgensen, Lin Dan and the All England Open Championships winner Carolina Marin. The Open is set to see a series of nail-biting matches between players, who will battle it out to win the illustrious title and a total prize money of $275,000. 

    With badminton increasingly gaining a strong foothold in India, the current season of the Super Series tournament should add to the ever-growing fan base in the country.

    Sony Six EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan said, “The India Open is undoubtedly the biggest major played in India every year and we are thrilled to come on board as the broadcasting partner for this marque tournament which attracts the best of Indian and international talent year on year. The viewer base for badminton in India has got stronger with every tournament in which our players feature. We expect the viewership to only grow manifold for this tournament considering its iconic status and the conducive telecast hours.”

    The tournament currently boasts of the BWF Super Series status, which was given to it in 2011. Super Series is a series of 12 prestigious tournaments played around the world, which also includes the highly coveted All England Open.

    Sony Six, as a part of its agreement with the Badminton Association of India (BAI), holds the rights to telecast the tournaments, which are played in the country. Earlier this year, the channel also broadcast one of the premier Indian badminton tournaments in the Syed Modi International Grand Prix along with its sister channel, Sony Pal.

    The schedule for the Yonex Sunrise India Open is as follows:

  • Sony Six and Pal bags telecast rights of Syed Modi International Grand Prix

    Sony Six and Pal bags telecast rights of Syed Modi International Grand Prix

    MUMBAI: Sony Six and Sony Pal will be broadcasting the semi-finals and final matches of the Syed Modi International Grand Prix 2015.

     

    Sony Pal will telecast the live event with Hindi feed between 2 – 7 pm on 24 and 25 January. To further strengthen the viewership of the tournament, the deferred telecast of the semi-finals and finals will be on Sony Six in the prime time evening slot (7 pm onwards). Taking under consideration the growing popularity of badminton in the country, Sony Six has undertaken the route of deferred feed in prime-time to ensure greater audience reach.

     

    Badminton Association of India (BAI) president Akhilesh Das Gupta said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sony Six in bringing the final culminating stages of the tournament live to our audience. With the dual language feeds, prime-time telecast, high-quality content and sheer sporting action, we are optimistic in our mission to further advance the popularity of badminton across markets in India.”

     

    BAI vice president, administration T.P.S. Puri added, “It gives us great pleasure to award the broadcast rights of the semis and finals of the tournament to Sony Six. With this viewers will be able to witness some of the best of international and domestic badminton talent take the court.”

     

    Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “The tournament is an exciting addition to our line-up of some of the best in domestic sports content and we are thrilled to be associated with such a grand event that hosts few of India’s brightest sporting talents. This year with the introduction of the Hindi feed and prime time telecast, we aim to tap into the rising popularity of badminton in India and cut across varied audience profile.”

     

    Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal will be seen looking at kick-starting her title defence against the likes of third seed P V Sindhu and the reigning world champion Carolina Marin of Spain. This year, the tourney will also host the best of domestic badminton talents including P C Tulashi, K Srikanth, Ajay Jayaram, H S Prannoy, RMV Gurusaidutt, Shreyansh Jaiswal and K Ajay Kumar amongst many more, battling it out for the title.

  • Mumbai Indians ropes in Usha International as official partner for IPL 7

    Mumbai Indians ropes in Usha International as official partner for IPL 7

    MUMBAI: This Indian Premier League season, the teams are going all out to engage with their fans. Mumbai Indians that has roped Usha International as its official partner, has taken a step ahead in this and has started contests across the digital platform.

     

    Spread out throughout the month, the lucky winners of the contest will win Mumbai Indians merchandise, autographed bat as well as tickets for the Mumbai Indians Vs Rajasthan Royals match. All that the participants need to do is respond to various questions based around Usha products and Mumbai Indians. 

     

    Usha International’s collaboration with Mumbai Indians and sports personalities such as Saina Nehwal is a part of its larger effort in promoting sports and engaging with the younger audience.

     

    “Usha International promotes a wide array of sporting initiatives across the country as it blends well with their brand ethos ‘PLAY’. I am excited to be associated with this company and was real fun in supporting Mumbai Indians at their home ground match,” said Usha International brand ambassador Saina Nehwal.

     

    Usha International, for the past 25 years has been actively supporting sporting initiatives which includes the Mawana Marathon, Ultimate Frisbee, Golf (junior, ladies, amateur and professional) and now Cricket. Recently, the company also partnered with the All India Cricket Association for the Deaf (AICAD) for the inaugural edition of the USHA Deaf IPL. As a part of the skill development initiative, Usha International has opened over 3000 ‘Silai Schools’ in non electrified villages across India to empower women and make them self- reliant.

  • Indian Badminton League to commence from 30 September

    Indian Badminton League to commence from 30 September

    MUMBAI: The second edition of the Indian Badminton League (IBL) will be held from 30 September to 15 October, the IBL Governing Council said on Monday as reported by PTI.

     

    The governing council has decided to allow franchisees to increase the team strength from 11 in the first year to 13 players. Each franchisee can pick two more players – Indian or foreign – which will further intensify the competition.

     

    “Badminton competition at the 2014 Asian Games gets over on the 29th of September, 2014. Players can directly fly-in from Incheon for the league,” said the Badminton Association of India president and IBL Governing Council chairman, Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta.

     

    “Last year, too, players had reached Delhi directly from Guangzhou, China, after taking part in the World Badminton Championships. This period ensures us the right opportunity to have world’s best players for the IBL, which already has created a buzz the world over,” he added.

     

    Dr Das Gupta, who is also a member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) executive council and a vice-president at the Badminton Asia Confederation, said: “BWF is very impressed with the IBL and want to know more about it. They consider India a very important country and what can get bigger than the fact that the BWF Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held here during the Thomas and Uber Cup.”

     

    The first edition of the IBL, held between 14 and 31 August, 2013, was won by PVP Ventures-owned Hyderabad Hotshots. The team captain Saina Nehwal had remained unconquered in all the seven matches on her way to the title triumph.

     

    “Following the success of the inaugural IBL, many top players are already approaching us for this year’s event. To ensure that world’s best are available for IBL 2014, the IBL Governing Council has decided to make the most of this window,” said Sporty Solutionz chief exectuive, Ashish Chadha.

     

    The league will be played in six Indian cities – Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.