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Tag: Sky Sports

  • Sportz Interactive scores Blair Richardson to lead UK and Europe drive

    Sportz Interactive scores Blair Richardson to lead UK and Europe drive

    MUMBAI : When it comes to winning fans, Sportz Interactive isn’t just playing the game, it’s rewriting the rulebook. The sports tech powerhouse has roped in Blair Richardson as director of business development to lead its charge across the UK and Europe, two of the world’s most competitive sporting markets. Based in London, Richardson will be the playmaker shaping SI’s next big innings in fan engagement and digital transformation.

    Richardson’s career spans over two decades of sports, entertainment, and tech innovation. He cut his teeth in business development before a six-year stint at Reuters as commercial director for sport & entertainment, where he drove global content partnerships with Rolex, Nike, Adidas, Puma, FIFA, Sky Sports, the Barclays Premier League, and Beats by Dre. From pioneering rights clearance strategies to expanding into North America and Asia, he built a reputation for fusing commercial acumen with creativity.

    His entrepreneurial streak saw him co-found Chatsuite, an AI chatbot platform that built fan engagement products for FC Barcelona, BBC, Eurosport, Xbox, WWF, and Getty Images. Later roles at Monterosa, Hex Digital, and Rehab Agency cemented his profile as a digital innovator, delivering campaigns for Nike, NBA, Google, ITV, Meta, Warner Bros, and Formula 1. Speaking on his move, Richardson said: “Sportz Interactive has already proven itself as a global leader in digital transformation for sports organisations, and I’m excited to bring my background in sports content, AI innovation, and fan engagement to this next chapter.”

    SI SVP for international leagues & federations Raghav Mehta added: “His unique blend of sports and entertainment expertise, combined with a proven track record of driving innovation through partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands, makes him the perfect leader to guide our growth in Europe and the UK.”

    With a client roster already boasting the International Olympic Committee, NBA, UEFA, Disney, Google, and Formula 1, SI’s European expansion isn’t just about new turf, it’s about redefining how sport meets storytelling in a digital-first world.

  • Sky Sports & Warner Bros. Discovery announce multi-year extension of live PGA Tour coverage

    Sky Sports & Warner Bros. Discovery announce multi-year extension of live PGA Tour coverage

    MUMBAI: Sky Sports announced that the deal to broadcast live PGA Tour events has been extended and the channel will now give golf fans the best in live action, according to a media news report.

    The report stated that Sky Sports will continue to show a minimum of 36 golf events per year as part of the agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery, the PGA Tour’s strategic partner. The agreement includes all PGA Tour FedExCup events, including the FedExCup Playoffs, Tour Championship, and Presidents Cup.

    “Sky Sports will broadcast PGA Tour events in a variety of ways, including Early Coverage, Marquee Group, Featured Holes, and Featured Groups. Sky Sports will also continue to provide the best TV coverage possible, bringing fans as close to the action as possible, including on-site with the Sky Cart, Sky Zone, and on-course commentary,” it said.

    Speaking on the expansion, Sky Sports managing director Jonathan Licht said, “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the PGA Tour. The extended deal cements Sky Sports’ place as the home of golf in the UK and Ireland and means our customers will be able to follow the key live-action on the Tour for years to come.”  

    PGA Tour chief media officer Rick Anderson said, “We are extremely pleased to continue our long partnership with Sky Sports in a key market, one that values golf at the highest level. Sky Sports’ localised production connects the best in professional golf, the PGA Tour, to our UK audience.’

    Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe president and managing director Andrew Georgiou said, “Sky has been a long-term partner to Discovery and now Warner Bros. Discovery for more than 30 years, helping to bring our channels and content to millions of people. Building on this relationship and extending PGA Tour coverage on Sky Sports is a clear winner for viewers in the UK and Ireland, particularly given the channel’s proven commitment to innovative golf broadcasting and excellent live coverage.”

    Sky Sports, once again in 2022, will show all four men’s majors and all five women’s majors, as well as a record amount of PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, and Ladies European Tour action – well over 100 tournaments in total. Golf fans can also follow the action around the clock on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports’ social and digital platforms.

  • Sky Sports retains IPL rights for UK, Ireland

    Sky Sports retains IPL rights for UK, Ireland

    MUMBAI: Sky Sports has signed a new multi-year deal to broadcast the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UK and Ireland. The deal allows Sky to retain the IPL broadcast rights for the territory.

    In 2014, Sky had signed a three-year deal to broadcast the IPL for the first time in the UK and Ireland.

    Under the deal, Sky Sports will broadcast 60 IPL matches live each year in the UK and Ireland, starting with the 2018 edition. The 11th season of the IPL is slated to go on air from 7 April.

    The Sky-Star deal also includes digital rights. This means that Star’s video-on-demand (VoD) service Hotstar will not be streaming the T20 tournament in the UK.

    Star was planning to use the IPL to strengthen Hotstar’s presence in global markets like the US and the UK.

    Last year, Star India had acquired all IPL media rights for Rs 16,347.5 crore ($2.55 million) for a five-year (2018-2022) cycle.

    Also Read:

    IPL auction: Gayle to play for KXIP, Unadkat most expensive Indian player

    Star India gets IPL to change match timings for 11th edition

    Star ushers in IPL’s new era with a bang

  • Star, Sony or Etc, BCCI will have the last laugh

    Star, Sony or Etc, BCCI will have the last laugh

    MUMBAI: If you have the set-up, we have the story. If you have the money, we have got the ideas. In spite of all IPL bidders prepared to make the highest bid for the media rights, what are the chances that BCCI may favour the ones who have the infrastructure and wherewithal to give the game maximum and utmost exposure and BCCI the best mileage? A level playing field for IPL broadcast rights bidders is suspect.

    The India digital rights and rest of the world rights are for five IPL seasons each, between 2018 and 2022 and the Indian sub-continent television rights being offered are for 10 IPL seasons (2018 – 2027).

    It is being speculated that broadcasters may have the upper hand in the selection of the winner of IPL media rights. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it has sold 18 tenders for the IPL rights. However, experts speculate that the tendering process may have been tilted in favour of television broadcasters.

    The row is connected to the format in which bids had to be submitted. The original tenders had specified that separate bids would have to be made for the three buckets into which media rights have been divided — India digital rights, television broadcast rights for the Indian subcontinent, and a third one for international media rights.

    In the new bundled versus separate format, if a single bidder were to quote higher than the sum of individual bidders globally, that bidder could walk away with all the rights. This change will significantly benefit Sony Pictures and Star India one of which may pocket all IPL rights. BCCI changed the bidding pattern and dynamics to permit consolidated bids across digital, TV, and international, the Times of India had reported.

    The probable winners hence could be Sony Pictures or Star India. These two broadcasters only seem to be keen for television broadcast rights, the biggest media rights component. This modification could make it uncertain for international or digital rights bidders to compete for those rights. Crucial interest was shown by Amazon, Twitter, and Reliance Jio, and by ESPN and Sky Sports for digital rights and international rights.

    Sources familiar with the tendering process said that BCCI reserved the right to pick either separate bids or consolidated bid. Bidders were earlier asked to give a separate value for each of the three packages. But, later, bidders were allowed to put in a single figure for all three rights, making it difficult for BCCI to compare consolidated bids against bids for individual rights pieces.

    By permitting TV broadcasters to put in one figure for all three packages, it seems to have nullified the international or digital bidders such as GroupM, Amazon, or ESPN, from being able to bid at par with the established TV broadcasters.

    This could also bring down the number of stakeholders BCCI may have to deal with. The new proposed change will also keep out deals between the BCCI and international broadcasters in key territories.

    Sports broadcast giant Star India and its competitor, Sony Pictures Network, seem to be in neck-and-neck race for television broadcast rights. The latter has been arguing with BCCI that its existing contract grants it the first right of refusal. While SPN enjoyed the telecast rights to Twenty-20 tournament since inception in 2008, Star India has been making inroads into IPL system. SPN has grown the property on television with innovations around language feeds, marketing, and monetising the IPL from a distribution and advertising stand-point. The 2016 edition of the IPL reached nearly 350 million TV viewers in India, a significant boost over 2015’s 200 million viewers thanks to the addition of rural households in the reporting of television viewership.

    Vinit Karnik, business head, ESP Properties, had told Business Standard, that, “It is no longer about the bouquet or distribution. The biggest change in the sports broadcast landscape is that the rights will now be awarded on the basis of production and packaging. When there are only two options, the organiser will go for the one that will present the property in the best way possible. Investments in sports production should increase now.”

    ALSO READ-

    Top court throws out BCCI’s review petition on Lodha recommendations

    18 prospective bidders for IPL Media Rights

  • Star, Sony or Etc, BCCI will have the last laugh

    Star, Sony or Etc, BCCI will have the last laugh

    MUMBAI: If you have the set-up, we have the story. If you have the money, we have got the ideas. In spite of all IPL bidders prepared to make the highest bid for the media rights, what are the chances that BCCI may favour the ones who have the infrastructure and wherewithal to give the game maximum and utmost exposure and BCCI the best mileage? A level playing field for IPL broadcast rights bidders is suspect.

    The India digital rights and rest of the world rights are for five IPL seasons each, between 2018 and 2022 and the Indian sub-continent television rights being offered are for 10 IPL seasons (2018 – 2027).

    It is being speculated that broadcasters may have the upper hand in the selection of the winner of IPL media rights. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it has sold 18 tenders for the IPL rights. However, experts speculate that the tendering process may have been tilted in favour of television broadcasters.

    The row is connected to the format in which bids had to be submitted. The original tenders had specified that separate bids would have to be made for the three buckets into which media rights have been divided — India digital rights, television broadcast rights for the Indian subcontinent, and a third one for international media rights.

    In the new bundled versus separate format, if a single bidder were to quote higher than the sum of individual bidders globally, that bidder could walk away with all the rights. This change will significantly benefit Sony Pictures and Star India one of which may pocket all IPL rights. BCCI changed the bidding pattern and dynamics to permit consolidated bids across digital, TV, and international, the Times of India had reported.

    The probable winners hence could be Sony Pictures or Star India. These two broadcasters only seem to be keen for television broadcast rights, the biggest media rights component. This modification could make it uncertain for international or digital rights bidders to compete for those rights. Crucial interest was shown by Amazon, Twitter, and Reliance Jio, and by ESPN and Sky Sports for digital rights and international rights.

    Sources familiar with the tendering process said that BCCI reserved the right to pick either separate bids or consolidated bid. Bidders were earlier asked to give a separate value for each of the three packages. But, later, bidders were allowed to put in a single figure for all three rights, making it difficult for BCCI to compare consolidated bids against bids for individual rights pieces.

    By permitting TV broadcasters to put in one figure for all three packages, it seems to have nullified the international or digital bidders such as GroupM, Amazon, or ESPN, from being able to bid at par with the established TV broadcasters.

    This could also bring down the number of stakeholders BCCI may have to deal with. The new proposed change will also keep out deals between the BCCI and international broadcasters in key territories.

    Sports broadcast giant Star India and its competitor, Sony Pictures Network, seem to be in neck-and-neck race for television broadcast rights. The latter has been arguing with BCCI that its existing contract grants it the first right of refusal. While SPN enjoyed the telecast rights to Twenty-20 tournament since inception in 2008, Star India has been making inroads into IPL system. SPN has grown the property on television with innovations around language feeds, marketing, and monetising the IPL from a distribution and advertising stand-point. The 2016 edition of the IPL reached nearly 350 million TV viewers in India, a significant boost over 2015’s 200 million viewers thanks to the addition of rural households in the reporting of television viewership.

    Vinit Karnik, business head, ESP Properties, had told Business Standard, that, “It is no longer about the bouquet or distribution. The biggest change in the sports broadcast landscape is that the rights will now be awarded on the basis of production and packaging. When there are only two options, the organiser will go for the one that will present the property in the best way possible. Investments in sports production should increase now.”

    ALSO READ-

    Top court throws out BCCI’s review petition on Lodha recommendations

    18 prospective bidders for IPL Media Rights

  • Sky invests in mobile fan engagement & sports marketing company

    Sky invests in mobile fan engagement & sports marketing company

    MUMBAI: After recently investing in programmatic advertising company DataXu and OTT video company TV4 Entertainment, Sky has now invested ?0.3 million in mobile fan engagement and sports marketing company InCrowd in a bid to help accelerate innovation.

    InCrowd, formed by the team behind the sports data company, Opta, specialises in developing mobile apps, offering real time content, match analysis and interactive games, providing clubs and rights holders with a direct way to engage with fans.  

    Sky Sports will work with InCrowd to explore new ways of delivering the best content to sports fans. 

    InCrowd has also developed its own connectivity software that sits within its apps, allowing phones to share all available connectivity, rather that compete for it. Any information requested by an app user without a signal can be provided by the network, while the more phones that join the network, the better the solution works.

    Sky, which offers fast, reliable connectivity to thousands of venues around the country through its Wi-Fi business, The Cloud, will work with InCrowd to develop in-stadia connectivity even further. 

    Sky director of corporate development & strategic investments Emma Lloyd said, “This is the latest in a series of investments in pioneering technology companies, which we know bring real benefits to customers.  We’re really looking forward to working with InCrowd, a company that shares our passion for innovation, and for finding new and exciting ways to deliver content.” 

    InCrowd co-founder and CEO Aidan Cooney added, “Sky are world leaders in delivering content to sports fans wherever they are. We’re incredibly excited to be working with them to explore new ways of engaging with fans.”

  • Sky invests in mobile fan engagement & sports marketing company

    Sky invests in mobile fan engagement & sports marketing company

    MUMBAI: After recently investing in programmatic advertising company DataXu and OTT video company TV4 Entertainment, Sky has now invested ?0.3 million in mobile fan engagement and sports marketing company InCrowd in a bid to help accelerate innovation.

    InCrowd, formed by the team behind the sports data company, Opta, specialises in developing mobile apps, offering real time content, match analysis and interactive games, providing clubs and rights holders with a direct way to engage with fans.  

    Sky Sports will work with InCrowd to explore new ways of delivering the best content to sports fans. 

    InCrowd has also developed its own connectivity software that sits within its apps, allowing phones to share all available connectivity, rather that compete for it. Any information requested by an app user without a signal can be provided by the network, while the more phones that join the network, the better the solution works.

    Sky, which offers fast, reliable connectivity to thousands of venues around the country through its Wi-Fi business, The Cloud, will work with InCrowd to develop in-stadia connectivity even further. 

    Sky director of corporate development & strategic investments Emma Lloyd said, “This is the latest in a series of investments in pioneering technology companies, which we know bring real benefits to customers.  We’re really looking forward to working with InCrowd, a company that shares our passion for innovation, and for finding new and exciting ways to deliver content.” 

    InCrowd co-founder and CEO Aidan Cooney added, “Sky are world leaders in delivering content to sports fans wherever they are. We’re incredibly excited to be working with them to explore new ways of engaging with fans.”

  • ICC to produce U19 Cricket World Cup 2016; ties-up with 15 broadcasters

    ICC to produce U19 Cricket World Cup 2016; ties-up with 15 broadcasters

    MUMBAI: For the first time ever, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will be producing the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Bangladesh 2016 as ICC TV along with its live production partner, Sunset + Vine. ICC has signed deals with as many as 15 broadcasters from around the world, who will then carry the feed.

     

    Star Sports has the rights for India and the sub-continent. The other broadcasters include Sky Sports (UK and Republic of Ireland), SuperSport (Africa and sub-Saharan Africa), OSN (MENA) and Willow TV (USA). Local broadcast will be brought to fans by four licensees; Gazi TV, BTV, Maasranga and Star Sports.

     

    The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Bangladesh 2016 is scheduled to kick-off on 27 January and will see future stars of international cricket playing 20 matches, which will all be beamed live.

     

    According to the ICC, the potential reach for this event will easily outstrip any of the previous 10 U19 Cricket World Cup events as this is the first time that 20 matches will be broadcast live. In the 2014 event in the UAE, 11 matches were shown, while 10 matches each were televised from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 events in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia respectively.

     

    The live coverage will start in Chittagong on 27 January, when a worldwide audience of over a billion is expected to watch South Africa launch its title defense against host Bangladesh in the tournament opener.

     

    The ICC, in line with its commitment to enhance the profile of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, has put in place a schedule that includes live broadcast coverage of all four matches from the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong, seven matches from Fatullah (including two Super League quarter-finals and five Super League play-offs) and nine matches from the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) in Mirpur, including four first-round matches, two quarter-finals, both the semi-finals and the 14 February final.

     

    The high-quality broadcast coverage will be through 22 cameras and include HawkEye for ball speeds and other analytical insights. The line-up of commentators includes Pommie Mbangwa, Russel Arnold, Ian Bishop, Dominic Cork, Sanjay Manjrekar, Paul Allott, Athar Ali Khan, Daryl Cullinan, Lisa Sthalekar, Alan Wilkins, and Rohan Gavaskar.

     

    To highlight the aspirations of young cricketers participating at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, in the lead up the event, the ICC launched the #FutureStars promotional campaign on broadcast and digital. In a series of four promotional videos featuring Mehedi Hasan of Bangladesh, Dan Lawrence of England, Wiaan Mulder of South Africa and Ishan Kishan of India, these young cricketers talk about their inspirations and ambitions.

     

    The event will also be covered on ICC digital channels. The official website www.icc-cricket.com will provide live scoring and full match center coverage for all matches. The 2016 edition is also the first ICC U19 Cricket World Cup ever to have a dedicated mobile app, available on both Android and iOS. Both the website and the app will contain the latest news, columns, video clips, official tournament standings and statistics.

     

    Fans will also be able to catch the Nissan Play of the Day every day on the website and the app, which will be in play for all 18 televised match-days in Bangladesh. On social media, the ICC will have dedicated on the ground coverage from all of the venues in Bangladesh, with bespoke content appearing on all of the @ICC accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube.

     

    ICC CEO David Richardson said, “This is the most important age-group cricket tournament, which has a tradition of producing the next generation of stars. As such, the ICC has decided to expand the reach of this event, providing unprecedented broadcast and digital coverage to ensure that individual and team performances are provided greater exposure and that the youngsters get a taste of a truly global event.”

     

  • ICC to produce U19 Cricket World Cup 2016; ties-up with 15 broadcasters

    ICC to produce U19 Cricket World Cup 2016; ties-up with 15 broadcasters

    MUMBAI: For the first time ever, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will be producing the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Bangladesh 2016 as ICC TV along with its live production partner, Sunset + Vine. ICC has signed deals with as many as 15 broadcasters from around the world, who will then carry the feed.

     

    Star Sports has the rights for India and the sub-continent. The other broadcasters include Sky Sports (UK and Republic of Ireland), SuperSport (Africa and sub-Saharan Africa), OSN (MENA) and Willow TV (USA). Local broadcast will be brought to fans by four licensees; Gazi TV, BTV, Maasranga and Star Sports.

     

    The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Bangladesh 2016 is scheduled to kick-off on 27 January and will see future stars of international cricket playing 20 matches, which will all be beamed live.

     

    According to the ICC, the potential reach for this event will easily outstrip any of the previous 10 U19 Cricket World Cup events as this is the first time that 20 matches will be broadcast live. In the 2014 event in the UAE, 11 matches were shown, while 10 matches each were televised from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 events in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia respectively.

     

    The live coverage will start in Chittagong on 27 January, when a worldwide audience of over a billion is expected to watch South Africa launch its title defense against host Bangladesh in the tournament opener.

     

    The ICC, in line with its commitment to enhance the profile of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, has put in place a schedule that includes live broadcast coverage of all four matches from the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong, seven matches from Fatullah (including two Super League quarter-finals and five Super League play-offs) and nine matches from the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) in Mirpur, including four first-round matches, two quarter-finals, both the semi-finals and the 14 February final.

     

    The high-quality broadcast coverage will be through 22 cameras and include HawkEye for ball speeds and other analytical insights. The line-up of commentators includes Pommie Mbangwa, Russel Arnold, Ian Bishop, Dominic Cork, Sanjay Manjrekar, Paul Allott, Athar Ali Khan, Daryl Cullinan, Lisa Sthalekar, Alan Wilkins, and Rohan Gavaskar.

     

    To highlight the aspirations of young cricketers participating at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, in the lead up the event, the ICC launched the #FutureStars promotional campaign on broadcast and digital. In a series of four promotional videos featuring Mehedi Hasan of Bangladesh, Dan Lawrence of England, Wiaan Mulder of South Africa and Ishan Kishan of India, these young cricketers talk about their inspirations and ambitions.

     

    The event will also be covered on ICC digital channels. The official website www.icc-cricket.com will provide live scoring and full match center coverage for all matches. The 2016 edition is also the first ICC U19 Cricket World Cup ever to have a dedicated mobile app, available on both Android and iOS. Both the website and the app will contain the latest news, columns, video clips, official tournament standings and statistics.

     

    Fans will also be able to catch the Nissan Play of the Day every day on the website and the app, which will be in play for all 18 televised match-days in Bangladesh. On social media, the ICC will have dedicated on the ground coverage from all of the venues in Bangladesh, with bespoke content appearing on all of the @ICC accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube.

     

    ICC CEO David Richardson said, “This is the most important age-group cricket tournament, which has a tradition of producing the next generation of stars. As such, the ICC has decided to expand the reach of this event, providing unprecedented broadcast and digital coverage to ensure that individual and team performances are provided greater exposure and that the youngsters get a taste of a truly global event.”

     

  • IPTL to be telecast LIVE in over 150 territories

    IPTL to be telecast LIVE in over 150 territories

    MUMBAI: Come December, the second edition of the much-anticipated International Premier Tennis League presented (IPTL) will be broadcast in over 150 territories across the globe. the event that features the world’s leading tennis players, now promises to attract both increased spectators and viewers with a bevy of leading broadcasters airing the matches for audiences across the World.

     

    The league has partnered with some of the world’s biggest sports broadcasters. ESPN, Fox Asia, Sky Sports, TV5, WOWOW, Eurosport, Tennis Channel, Star Sports, Abu Dhabi Media Group among others will beam the IPTL into homes across the United States, United Kingdom, South-East Asia, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean, giving the league a truly global broadcast footprint. All matches will be produced in HD quality with IPTL graphics and commentary by Jason Goodall and Robbie Koenig.

     

    “We are proud to strengthen our reach, taking it to global audiences through many of the world’s leading broadcasters. The success of Season 1 is a result of the format being accepted by the players translating into high-intensity competition. We will continue to offer an unmatched viewing experience to our global audiences who are now beginning to enjoy tennis in a manner never seen before,” said Mahesh Bhupathi on behalf of the league.

     

    This year’s edition will see five franchises –The Micromax Indian Aces, OUE Singapore Slammers, UAE Royals, Philippine Mavericks and Japan Warriors battle it out for the coveted IPTL trophy.

     

    The five franchises will feature Grand Slam champions, current and former world number one players, and other top tennis talent from across the world. The star-studded line-up boasts seven of the Top 10men’s and women’s players.