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Tag: SG Sports

  • Guru Samruddhi serves up GS Delhi Aces with Leander Paes as ambassador

    Guru Samruddhi serves up GS Delhi Aces with Leander Paes as ambassador

    MUMBAI: Guru Samruddhi House of Investments has stepped onto the sporting court with the acquisition of the GS Delhi Aces franchise in the Tennis Premier League (TPL). The announcement comes ahead of the league’s seventh edition, with tennis icon Leander Paes joining as brand ambassador.

    The launch, held in Dubai on 10 September, was a historic first for TPL as the team unveiled itself on an international stage. The evening drew over 500 attendees, with Paes receiving a rousing welcome alongside blessings from Sadguru Shri Guruji. [sic]

    18-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic medallist, Paes said, “I have been a part of TPL since its inception. This year is a special one for the league as it will become India’s fourth sporting league to complete seven successful seasons, and I am delighted to be associated with GS Delhi Aces.”

    With this acquisition, Guru Samruddhi, a diversified group spanning co-operative societies, insurance, tourism, and real estate, has added professional sport to its portfolio. CMD Vijay Pusdekar said, “We are immensely proud to represent the confidence of putting on a good show for tennis fans in Delhi and across the country.”

    The Tennis Premier League, featuring eight franchises, continues to expand its star-studded roster. Alongside Paes, the league boasts ambassadors and owners such as Sania Mirza (Gurgaon Grand Slammers), Mahesh Bhupathi (SG Sports), Rakul Preet Singh (Hyderabad Strikers), and Sonali Bendre (Chennai Smashers).

    Welcoming the new team, TPL co-founder Kunal Thakkur said, “This year, for the very first time, the league will feature ATP top-ranked players within 30–50.” Fellow co-founder Mrunal Jain added, “With visionary partners like Guru Samruddhi, we are confident this season will be historic, competitive, and truly memorable. 

  • SG Sports appoints Digvijay Singh Deo as VP of sports & media

    SG Sports appoints Digvijay Singh Deo as VP of sports & media

    Mumbai: SG Sports, media & entertainment (SGSE), part of the APL Apollo Group,  announced that it has appointed senior sports editor Digvijay Singh Deo as vice president of sports and media.

    Digvijay is an accomplished name in sports journalism and has over two decades of experience under his belt. An award-winning journalist and producer, Digvijay was previously with WION as the sports editor for seven years where he set up the sports team and designed the flagship sports show for the network. Prior to WION, he spent 11 years at CNN IBN where he joined as principal correspondent and was appointed sports editor in 2014. Previously, he has also worked with Doordarshan and Star News.

    SG Sports, media and entertainment, a subsidiary of APL Apollo Group, has interests in a variety of sports, including chess, cricket, table tennis and football. Most recently, the company announced the launch of its franchise, Delhi SG Pipers, for the upcoming Hockey India League which is making a high-profile comeback after 7 years.

    Delhi SG Pipers will have both men’s as well as women’s teams playing in the league and has already roped in a star-studded lineup of management and coaches, including legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, former India men’s national team coach Graham Reid and the analytical coach of the national women’s team, Dave Smolenaars.

    In his new role at SGSE, Digvijay be utilising his experience to provide strategy and direction across the various interests of the company in sports. He will also be responsible for creating content-based IPs and partnerships and will report directly to Mahesh Bhupathi, CEO of SG Sports, Media & Entertainment.

    SGSE vice president of sports and media Digvijay Singh Deo said, “It has been a long journey of over 21 years covering sports and I feel this was a great opportunity and a natural progression for me to move onto the other side of the business. It is an interesting as well as challenging role because sport in India is growing and this was the right time to get involved. I am thankful to SGSE for this opportunity.”

    SGSE CEO Mahesh Bhupathi said, “I am excited to have Diggy on board. He has a lot of experience and a large network in the sports world and I believe he will add a lot of value to what we are trying to build at SGSE.  

  • SG Sports led by APL Apollo acquires ‘Bengaluru Spartans’ ahead of Tennis Premier League 2023

    SG Sports led by APL Apollo acquires ‘Bengaluru Spartans’ ahead of Tennis Premier League 2023

    Mumbai: In yet another venture into the sporting world, SG Sports led by APL Apollo has acquired ‘Bengaluru Spartans’, one of the eight teams that will be participating in the much-awaited Tennis Premier League- TPL 2023. With the ownership of this team with SG Sports Ventures now, it has been renamed as ‘Bengaluru SG Mavericks’ with ace tennis player Sania Mirza as its brand ambassador. A new logo of the team has also been launched. ‘Bengaluru SG Mavericks’ is a complete team with both men and women tennis players who will participate in the high-octane sporting event in December, in different formats like Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles, and Men’s Doubles.

    APL Apollo is a leading structural steel tube brand with over 55 per cent share in the domestic market. Its strategic arm, SG Sports, is committed to significantly impacting the sporting industry.APL Apollo Tubes Ltd chief managing director (CMD) Sanjay Gupta has a huge passion for sports. This segment is dedicated to supporting and nourishing young sporting talent in India.

    The fifth edition of the highly anticipated tournament is set to be held in December this year, with all the matches taking place at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. The adrenaline-packed event is being organized under the auspices of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA). The popularity of TPL can be gauged from the fact that many celebrities have been associated with it. Among them are Sonu Sood, Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Rakul Preet Singh, Leander Paes, and Sonali Bendre. Sania Mirza has been with the team for the last three years and this would be her fourth year supporting Bengaluru. Leander Paes also has been associated since the beginning of this league and makes sure he is there for all the matches.

    Expressing his enthusiasm for the venture, APL Apollo Tubes Ltd CMD Sanjay Gupta. said, “This is a great opportunity for our company to associate with the spirit of sports that teaches us the most valuable lessons in life. We look forward to this association with Bengaluru Spartans which is Bengaluru SG Mavericks now and wish each player ahead of the trailblazing contest to be held in December this year. It is an also amazing start with this league sport that has been gaining more and more popularity in India. It will be great to witness that the new talent will rub shoulders with some of the most versatile tennis players in the world Overall, it is a great moment to associate the name of the brand with a sport that is popular worldwide.”

    Bengaluru SG Mavericks brand ambassador Sania Mirza said, “I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting venture and obliged to SG Sports for choosing me as their brand ambassador. As a former tennis player and woman, I feel that India has a lot of potential in terms of sports and tennis has seen more and more interest from our young generation recently. Still, there are miles to go before we shine on the world stage in this sport and Tennis Premier League provides a brilliant opportunity for young and upcoming players to prove their mettle on the court. SG Sports is doing a great job in supporting such budding players and giving them an ideal platform where they can compete with top players and learn from their skills.”

    The other participating teams in TPL 2023 include the Bengal Wizards, Mumbai Leon Army, Punjab Tigers, Pune Jaguars, Bengaluru Spartans, Delhi Binny’s Brigade, Hyderabad Strikers, and Gujarat Panthers. Pertinent to mention here that Indian tennis legend Leander Paes has recently announced his acquisition of a stake in the Bengal franchise.

    As far as the TPL format is concerned, it has eight franchises that will play a total of five matches to qualify for the semi-final. Each match between two franchises will have a total of 4 games (Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles and Men’s Doubles). Each match will be worth 20 points, thus there will be a total of 80 points at stake in each contest. Each team will play a total of 400 points (80 points x 5 matches) at the league stage. The top 4 teams in the points table will qualify for the semi-finals.

    The Tennis Premier League (TPL), packages traditional tennis into a highly entertaining tournament to capture the imagination of fans. With an unorthodox format, it is set to be a tennis equivalent to the Indian Premier League and is returning for its fifth season this year. The league is poised to write yet another chapter in the annals of Indian tennis history, as fans eagerly await the start of TPL 2023. Sports outside of cricket are gaining more traction among Indian audiences. Tennis has a sizeable following in India, with close to 100 million viewers that watched the sport on TV last year.