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Tag: Sony SIX

  • Arsenal VS Chelsea: When & where can India tune in?

    Arsenal VS Chelsea: When & where can India tune in?

    MUMBAI: Arsenal and Chelsea are two of the fiercest rivals in modern day football and hence the 2015 FA Community Shield is certain to become the perfect curtain raiser for European Club Football fanatics.

     

    FA Community Shield is played between the champions of Barclays Premier League and FA Cup. Chelsea is under the leadership of Jose Mourinho, won the 2014-15 league title, while Arsene Wenger guided Arsenal to their back to back FA Cup title. The duo is renowned for their sideline sillies and whenever they come together, it’s never short of action.

     

    But when and where can India see all the action?

     

    Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports boutique Sony Six and Sony Kix acquired the broadcasting rights of FA Cup and Serie A for three years (2015 – 2017) and hence will be the official broadcasters of the Community Shield match too. The rights of both the tournament were previously with Star Sports. The match will be played in Wembley Stadium and the kickoff is scheduled at 3.00 pm BST, which is 7.30 pm IST on Sunday (2 August, 2015). The SD feed can be watched at Sony Kix, while Sony Six HD will air the High Definition feed.

     

    Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, Sony Six and Sony Kix EVP and business head Prasanna Krishnan says, “Community Shield match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be the perfect way for us to begin the football year. So far in our portfolio if anything was missing, it was quality club football action. With FA Cup and Italian Serie A, we fill that need gap. Being the official broadcaster of FIFA and UEFA Euro, we already had all the major International Football tournaments in our kitty. Now we can say that we are the only sports broadcaster to provide a quality mix of international and club football action throughout the year.”

     

    As per TAM Peoplemeter system analysis, FA Cup’s cumulative reach has gone up by 27 per cent in the past two seasons. In 2013 – 14 season, the tourney secured 5.61 million but in 2014- 15 season, it went up to 7.13 million in CS4+ Target Group all over India.

     

    According to a report by KPMG, with 215 million GVTs Football remains the second most watched sports entity in India after cricket, which garnered 254 million GVTs. Sports genre plays a pivotal role when it comes to revenue generation through subscription for broadcasters.

     

    “We have to keep the fact in mind that Sony Kix is just a couple of months old and still in the developing process. With Community Shield, India VS Sri Lanka test series, the reach will get stronger. We are already there in all the DTH players and our presence in cable is also enhancing. Kix is positioned to feature football and fight sports,” asserts Krishnan.

     

    In football, the scope of generating ad revenue is very less. UEFA Champions League, which is aired on Ten Sports, has no brands associated with it. However, there is multiple special programming, which is exclusively curated to explore monetizing avenues. Pre match, post match and half time analytical programs remain the biggest slot to rope in advertisers. Also weekend reviews and previews garner good viewership.

     

    A media planning expert asserts, “Football is not cricket so putting an ad in the middle of the game is not an option. But whenever there is an injury stoppage or celebrations after goals or for that matter when the replays come in, relevant brands can be roped in as side captures or pop ups. Prime time in football begins five minutes before the match, the half time analysis program is also considered prime time in football.”

     

    “In order to monetize and generate revenue we will not intrude into the flow of sport neither will we disturb our viewers. Disturbing viewers with an ad is not how we do business,” informs Kirshnan.

     

    So no disturbances for Indian football fans this weekend, as an action packed match between Arsenal and Chelsea takes centre stage on Sony Kix and Sony Six HD. 

  • NBA India sees 200% jump in e-commerce sales

    NBA India sees 200% jump in e-commerce sales

    MUMBAI: Basketball, which introduced breakfast viewership in India, is growing at a rapid pace in all departments. From the beginning the National Basketball Association (NBA) India had a long-term vision to grow the game and build the league’s fan base in the market. It initiated many grassroots programmes to build on ground attraction and plans to extend the base and reach by expanding it to multiple cities.

    What’s more, the growing venture NBA India, which is still exploring various opportunities to generate revenue, has seen a 200 per cent jump in its e-commerce sales over the last one year. The NBA’s primary business lines globally are media, sponsorship and merchandising.

    Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco says, “We continue to work with our global and local merchandising partners to bring the best NBA merchandise to our fans. We launched NBAStore.in, our local e-commerce site in partnership with Jabong, a little over a year ago and the response has been amazing. NBA merchandise has been delivered to over 400 cities across India and our e-commerce sales have grown 200 per cent over the last year. The league will continue to engage with like-minded brands to create partnerships to grow the game and bring the NBA experience closer to our fans. We currently have fantastic partnerships with Reliance Foundation, Jabong, adidas, Samsonite, Nike and SAP.”

     

    Plans for 2015-2017:

    Sharing his vision Colaco throws light on the plans to improve the sport’s reach and viewership in the country. “Over the next three years, the NBA will continue to grow the game and deliver NBA experiences and content to our fans across the country. We plan to expand our grassroots programs to more cities so that the youth across the country can learn and enjoy the game. We will continue to train coaches across India and provide them the tools and resources to grow the game in their communities.”

     

    Viewership:

    Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports venture Sony Six is the official broadcaster of NBA in India. 61.8 per cent of All India 1 lakh + television audience in India has the opportunity to see Sony Six. The viewership rating has witnessed constant growth in recent past and finals of 2015 secured the most. “Our partnership with Sony Six in India has been fantastic. Viewership of the NBA has skyrocketed in the last few seasons due to their commitment to bring two live games per day and other compelling NBA programs to our fans. Viewership of NBA programs increased significantly over last and our fan base on social media has grown 400 per cent in the last year,” says Colaco.

     

    Aspirations of youth and initiatives taken by NBA to support it:

    “There is great appetite for high quality basketball programs from schools, coaches, parents and youth across the country. These initiatives are essential because basketball is a great form of exercise and teaches youth important life lessons such as teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship and communication. Over one million youth have participated in the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program since 2013 and over 1,000 coaches have been trained across eight cities. In addition, over 15,000 basketballs have been donated and 300 rims installed at participating schools. We anticipate these figures to double as we expand the program later this year,” asserts Colaco.

     

    Satnam Singh’s inclusion in NBA draft:

    Recently India born Satnam Singh created history by getting a place in NBA as The Dallas Mavericks introduced 19-year-old as the first-ever Indian NBA draft pick in Dallas. And that can enthral tremendous energy in basketball aspirants in India. On Singh’s inclusion and its influence on the youth, Colaco says, “Our hope is that Satnam’s story will continue to inspire youth across India to participate in our great game. We will provide fans in India the opportunity to follow Satnam’s journey by showcasing his experiences across our digital and social media platforms as well as on Sony Six.”

    In India most of the basketball courts are used to play cricket, skate or play football, now it remains to be seen if Colaco and his team manages to popularise basketball and drive the youth’s interest to the sport.

  • Sony Six bags broadcasting rights to India vs Sri Lanka 2015 test series

    Sony Six bags broadcasting rights to India vs Sri Lanka 2015 test series

    MUMBAI: In a US $ 3.2 million deal, Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports venture Sony Six has acquired the rights of India vs Sri Lanka three test match series. The series to be held in Sri Lanka, will take place between 12 August, 2015 and 1 September, 2015.

     

    This 20-day tour includes three test matches to be held in the cities of Galle, Colombo and Kandy and will be shown live and exclusive on Sony Six.

     

    Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan said, ”We are delighted to partner Sri Lanka Cricket Board as the official broadcaster of the series. The fixture between the two Asian giants is one of the most sought after and keenly followed contests in cricket and we are proud to be bringing it live to our viewers. And it will be interesting to watch how the Indian squad fares under Virat’s aggressive style of leadership.”

     

    Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Sidath Wettimuny added, ”Sony Six has established itself as one of the most exciting sports channels in the industry and we are thrilled to be associated with them for this test series. The channel’s track record in showcasing premier sporting properties further cemented our decision in making them our broadcaster partner in bringing the high-quality sporting action. Through this deal, we believe we will be able to expand and reach out to a wider and newer audience.”

     

    It can be noted that the broadcasting rights for the Sri Lanka Cricket Board are with Essel Group’s sports arm Ten Sports. However, this series is a back up for the curtailed West Indies vs India series which ended mid way due to organisational differences between West Indies players and their cricket board. Subsequently, as the series was not a part of the calendar initially, it was not a part of the official broadcasting deal between Sri Lanka Cricket Board and Ten Sports.

     

    With the rights of the test series going to Sony Six, several reports linked it to the alleged differences between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra. Clarifying the networks stand, Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi told Indiantelevision.com, ”Firstly, this has nothing to do with BCCI- Subhash Chandra relationship and we have a very cordial relationship with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board as well.”

     

    He further added, ”This series was not a part of the deal and hence separate bidding took place, which is absolutely normal and technical. We also did bid for the series but we have to understand that it is a three test match series, with no ODIs or T20 matches and hence going ballistic was not our strategy. If it was a full-fledged series with Test, ODIs and T20s, we would have aggressively pushed for it.”

     

    According to Sethi, the duration and format of the series does not allow the broadcaster to monetize the property well. Besides, the weather under which the test series will be played will have an impact on the broadcaster. Paramount possibilities of rain enhance the chance of interruptions and that’s something which will be on advertisers mind too.

     

    The series is highly important as Team India will go all guns blazing to write off the critics and restore fans’ faith after its debacle in Bangladesh. It should also prove to be one of the most vital one for Virat Kohli as he captains the India squad in what will be his first ever complete test series. Not just that, legendary batsman Kumar Sangakkara will bid adieu to the world of cricket after the series. So competition, agony, history and team spirit can make the series an exquisite experience for the cricket lovers.

  • Kyazoonga plans big to capitalize the $10 billion e-ticketing market

    Kyazoonga plans big to capitalize the $10 billion e-ticketing market

    MUMBAI: After missing out on Rio 2016 Olympics ticketing by a whisker, India budded international ticketing giant Kyazoonga has invested over Rs 100 crore to sign a multi-year deal with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the official T20 championship in West Indies. Kyazoonga will provide complete proprietary ticketing and accreditation solution, as part of the association.

     

    The deal underscores the company’s global ambitions where it is making a mark by displacing established players and disrupting legacy practices and systems. The company ticketed the CPL last year as well and the experience enthralled the venture to go for a multi-year deal, says Kyazoonga co-founder & CEO Neetu Bhatia.

     

    CPL CEO Damien O’ Donohoe had earlier said, ‘We have been extremely pleased with the technology, operational and system capabilities and the quality of service that Kyazoonga has brought to CPL’s ticketing programme. Having worked with other major ticketing service providers in the world, Kyazoonga felt like a breath of fresh air when they were able to quickly set up ticketing operations across multiple countries in the region and successfully overcome all the challenges that come with a geographically and culturally diverse ticketing market.  We are delighted with the deal that will help us grow the tournament bigger and better. The team from Kyazoonga never ceases to pleasantly surprise us with their positive, technology-driven approach to come up with solutions.”

     

    “The experience of cricket is different in Caribbean Island. It is fun filled, passionate and people love the tournament. Shah Rukh Khan recently invested big in the tournament, Hero came in as the title sponsor and most importantly there are quality players playing the game. So, overall I feel it’s a great tournament, which will get bigger and better with time and that’s why we signed this long term deal,” adds Bhatia.

     

    The CPL, a highly popular league with a wide array of international cricket stars, continues to expand and grow stronger. The league has a six team format with representation from the six main cricket playing countries – Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Lucia. Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recently bought Trinidad & Tobago team. In the Indian subcontinent, Sony Six and Sony Six HD will telecast the matches live.   

     

    The ticketing industry in India is growing fast, thanks to the growth of internet. As per analysis, the e-ticketing gate revenue in the country is over $10 billion. Reportedly, India with over 300 million internet users has already dethroned US to become the number two country in terms of consumption of internet.

     

    But, the e-ticketing penetration is restricted to a mere 20 per cent which signifies a huge scope of growth and possible emergence of a cluster of new e-ticketing ventures. Every month India is adding 5-6 million internet users and a mammoth 650 million users is estimated to be online by 2020 – of which 250 million will shop online – spending over $50 billion as per a recent Bain report. The report also suggests that mobile phones will dominate 70 per cent of the total number of internet users.

     

    Rural India, where internet is yet to witness total emergence also contributes highly to the ticketing revenue, asserts Bhatia.

     

    She further says, “Our experience with Raipur was highly encouraging. We generated over Rs 9 crore per match which proves that e-ticketing can grow immensely irrespective of geography and demography.”

     

    Goods and Service Tax (GST) can play a vital role in the growth of this industry also. “We need one tax policy and GST can bring that. I have seen people cancelling or shifting events because of tax irregularity and hence with GST we can avoid that,” opines Bhatia.

     

    Kyazoonga introduced professionalized e-ticketing in sports and entertainment to India in 2007 and has continued to democratise access to some of the largest events in the sub-continent such as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Sachin Tendulkar Retirement Test, several IPL teams since the first season, Bryan Adams India Concert Tour, Guns N’ Roses India Concert Tour and the annual Jaipur Literature Festival among others.

  • After Serie A MSM bags broadcasting rights of FA Cup

    After Serie A MSM bags broadcasting rights of FA Cup

    MUMBAI: When Multi Screen Media (MSM) CEO NP Singh said that the network was looking at building an ecosystem for football in the country, he had a foolproof strategy to back it up. The network has bagged the exclusive three-year broadcasting rights for The Emirates FA Cup from the 2015-16 to the 2017-18 season and Italian Seire A.

     

    Indiantelevision.com was the first to report about the channel acquiring the telecast rights for Italian Seire A. It can be noted that both the assets were earlier with Star India’s sports channel Star Sports.

     

    Following an agreement with MP & Silva, The Emirates FA Cup and Serie A Tim rights holder for the India sub-continent, Sony Kix will exclusively showcase live coverage from the two football properties in a bid to tap into the growing popularity of the sport in the region. These acquisitions strengthen the current portfolio of live football programming which already boasts of a strong line-up of marquee properties including the UEFA Euro 2016, Qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2016, European Qualifiers for 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2018 FIFA World Cup and Copa America.

     

    With the consistent increase in viewership for football witnessed in the past decade in India, the channel is looking to capitalise on this opportunity and provide Indian viewers with a slice of the best in football across the globe. The acquisitions come as a mode to bolster the group’s football portfolio, consolidating their position as the ultimate destination for international football. The Italian jewel of premier division football – the Serie A, along with the oldest and most historic association football competition in the world – The Emirates FA Cup, will surely add a new dimension to the channel’s library of iconic sports properties.

     

    Starting 2 August, 2015, Sony Kix will broadcast the traditional curtain raiser to the English football season, the FA Community Shield which will be played between FA Cup champion Arsenal and Barclays Premier League winner Chelsea, followed by The Emirates FA Cup.

     

    The Italian Serie A Tim Football Championship, the topmost division in professional league in Italian football, kicks-off the 2015 season on the weekend of 22 August 2015. This will be the 114th season of top-tier Italian football, featuring some of the best teams and players in international football. The channel will also showcase in-depth post-match highlights accompanied by a weekly highlight bulletin providing exclusive insights into the league.

     

    This comprehensive and holistic offering of the league will be accompanied by high quality audio and visual feed of the live matches, providing viewers with an unparalleled and enhanced viewing experience.

     

    Sony Kix and Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “We are witnessing a golden era of sports viewership transition in the country, and are proud to be offering two of the world’s most renowned events in football. We have seen an overwhelming demand for football viewership in the country, and through these acquisitions, we wish to cater to that need and reiterate our commitment towards providing high quality sports content for our viewers.”

  • MSM to acquire telecast rights of Italian Serie A?

    MSM to acquire telecast rights of Italian Serie A?

    MUMBAI: Italy’s premier football championship Serie A, which was jointly aired by Star India’s Star Sports and Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ Ten Sports so far, is all set to change airwaves in India.

     

    Sources close to the development tell Indiantelevision.com that the asset is no longer associated with Star Sports and Ten Sports and will most definitely be on another network. Pertinent to note here is that while Star acquired the broadcasting rights of German Bundesliga earlier this year, it also has the English Premier League, Football Association Cup and La Liga (Spain) in its plump kitty. Besides the international assets, Star also owns the broadcasting rights of the burgeoning home-made Indian Super League (ISL).

     

    On the other hand, Ten Sports has the rights to UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, which are both continental based football championship featuring top ranked teams of leagues across Europe.

     

    It may be recalled that Multi Screen Media (MSM) recently launched Sony Kix – a paid sports channel and has been looking to acquire quality content. While the company has the broadcasting rights of the FIFA World Cup and Euro Qualifiers, it is currently relaying Copa America. Moreover, in the recent past, the broadcaster also aired the Africa Cup of Nations. The missing feather in MSM’s kitty is quality club football.

     

    During a recent interaction with this website, MSM CEO NP Singh had said, “Football is garnering huge viewership in India. Whenever and wherever there are opportunities to acquire any other football properties, we will aggressively go for it. We are working to settle a deal, which we will be able to announce in a couple of months.”

     

    Given the scenario, it is most likely that Serie A will soon be reaching viewers through MSM’s sports channels. However, when contacted to confirm the news, MSM officials refrained from giving a statement.

     

    Sony Six registered high viewership last year courtesy to FIFA World Cup, India’s tour of New Zealand. What’s more, 2015 has also been action packed so far. Serie A has many renowned players and league champion Juventus made substantial mark in European Level too as they played the final in Berlin against Spanish La Liga champion Barcelona. The league did not manage to garner high viewership in the past, since no serious coverage was done and it was often suppressed by other leagues. However, if the league is telecast by Sony Six and Kix, it will get special treatment as the tourney will be the only club league is MSM’s kitty.

     

    Football in India is opening avenues for advertisers and there are huge revenue generating possibilities that the sport offers broadcasters. A senior sports media planner opines, “We have seen pop-up banners in the bottom of the screen during EPL matches, so this can be one mode of advertising for broadcasters to look out for. Italian SerieA won’t be as popular as EPL but a Milan Derby or a match involving Juventus is certain to get eyeballs. Viewership also depends on the treatment given by broadcaster. If planned properly, it can be beneficial for the broadcaster that pockets the rights.”

     

    It now remains to be seen if indeed MSM seals the deal and whether Sony Six and Kix become the new screens for Serie A lovers in India.

  • CPL takes a leap with SRK as franchise owner; Hero as title sponsor

    CPL takes a leap with SRK as franchise owner; Hero as title sponsor

    MUMBAI: With two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp as title sponsor and actor Shah Rukh Khan as the owner of Trinidad and Tobago franchise, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is emerging as a substantial entity in the franchisee cricket fraternity.

     

    Both developments are of huge magnitude for the mushrooming league as Khan’s involvement will drive his fans to the sports too, which will result in increased viewership.

     

    The broadcasting right of CPL is with Multi Screen Media’s sports and entertainment channel Sony Six, which also telecasts Indian Premier League (IPL). A viewership boost will only help the channel generate more revenue.

     

    Not long back after Hero invested heavily on Indian Super League (ISL) and bagged the title sponsors tag speculations were drawn that the automobile company will permanently move away from cricket and endorse other emerging leagues. However, the one-year deal with CPL quashes all speculations. As part of the deal, CPL will now be called as Hero Caribbean Premier League, which is synonymous with other sports properties like Hero Indian Super league and Hero Hockey India League.

     

    Hero has been associated with cricket for over two decades in various capacities. In 2007, Hero was the Global Partner of the ICC World Cup, held in West Indies.

      

    Speaking to Times of India after signing the deal with CPL franchise Trinidad and Tobago, Khan said, “This is in line with our vision to expand globally. We are thrilled to become part of the cricketing tradition of Trinidad & Tobago. The passion for franchise cricket in the Caribbean is evident with the success of CPL and we hope to bring all the best practices of KKR to the T&T franchise.”

     

    Speaking about the deal, Hero MotoCorp CEO and managing director Pawan Munjal said, “Hero MotoCorp has been associated with sports, and particularly cricket, for well over two decades. The game of cricket has for long remained the most popular sport in India, and also in the Caribbean. As Hero rapidly expands its global footprint, we have been forging strong associations with sporting icons and events as part of our global brand building initiatives. Caribbean cricket and cricketers have always been highly popular in India and in many other parts of the world, and our title sponsorship of the CPL is a logical extension of our long-term association with the game. We look forward to a highly exciting month of cricket in the Caribbean.” 

     

    Hero Caribbean Premier League chairman Richard Bevan added, “It is our pleasure to have the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp, as title sponsor of CPL. Hero has been one of the leading sponsors of cricket throughout the game’s history, and it is a testament to CPL’s growing success that the event will now be known as the Hero CPL. We look forward to Hero’s support and to making season 3 of the CPL the biggest yet.

     

    CPL started two years back and has been growing in terms of both players’ participation and global viewership. Renowned international cricketers like Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi will join the Caribbean’s finest cricketers namely Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo. The tournament will also witness participation of talented local players from the Caribbean region.

     

    CPL 2014 attracted a massive global audience in excess of 65 million. This number is expected to break all previous records to post record participation of spectators from around the world.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com a senior cricket expert asserts, “Caribbean cricketers have always been the best entertainers of cricket. If we see in recent times in the IPL, it has been Gayle. Pollard and Bravo have always been crowd pullers. Indian cricketers not participating will hamper viewership in India but if quality cricket is exhibited, then people will tune in provided there is no India match happening simultaneously.”

     

    He further added, “Shah Rukh Khan owning a franchise is a big boost for the league, as he will make efforts to promote the franchise. KKR was the first franchise to start generating profit from IPL so with his business mind, he will make sure he gets good returns.”

     

    A veteran media planning expert feels that though there are big names associated with the league, it is highly unlikely that the brand interaction will go anywhere close to IPL or any other India involved cricket match. “The game is clear, you have India playing cricket… it’s a festival. You have matches played in India, it is a celebration but cricket without Indian players will find it tough to garner viewership. Hero and Shah Rukh joining the league is good news for the league as well as for the broadcaster. However, at the end of the day, it’s the quality of cricket and cricketers that will get brands and viewers.”

  • Football production in India rejuvenated with ISL: Anilava Chatterjee

    Football production in India rejuvenated with ISL: Anilava Chatterjee

    MUMBAI: Sports is a lucrative genre for broadcasters as advertisers fritter huge sums of money for both on-ground and on-air sponsorships. However, the bang for their buck is received only when the camera lens captures their brand. Moreover, viewers too expect an exquisite exhibition of imagery on their television screen for sporting events. All this and more is tirelessly taken care of by the sports production unit deployed on the field.

     

    At a time when ‘sports’ in India is synonymous with ‘cricket’ as ‘photocopy’ is to ‘Xerox,’ Kolkata based Greymind Communications aspires to be the lenses covering all the football matches in the Indian sub-continent as well as in South East Asia.

     

    Greymind Communications founded by Anilava Chatterjee and Aniruddha Goharoy kicked off its journey in 2006 by producing the live telecast of Sahara Kolkata Premier League. The matches were shown on the Bengali news channel 24 Ghanta for two consecutive years (2006 and 2007). Greymind also produced 33 live matches of Calcutta Football League (CFL) for Star Network and matches were shown on Jalsa Movies this year. Last year, the company produced 65 live matches for same network in CFL and IFA Shield.

     

    Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, Chatterjee asserts, “We have traveled a long distance since our inception and there are miles to go as we have high aspirations. When we started our journey in 2006, the scenario was different in India. Now it’s getting better everyday, which is a huge encouragement for us. Last year we covered CFL for Star India and I must say Star has raised the bar with their quality conscious quotient. The experience with CFL 2014 – 15 was a morale booster for us. The matches had thrill and the crowd liked it. We managed to get highest ever television ratings for the sport.”

     

    Having their share of covering big-ticket matches of international magnitude, Greymind also shot the Argentina VS Venezuela match featuring Lionel Messi in Salt Lake Stadium Kolkata. “The stadium had more than one lakh spectators screaming Messi’s name and there were billions across the globe sitting in front of television screens to see Messi dribbling and dodging. We covered the Argentina VS Venezuela match in 2011 in HD and it was indeed a great experience. We deployed 16 cameras with one fixed on Messi. The match was going to be covered worldwide and there was no room for a glitch. I am happy to say that we successfully covered the match,” Chaterjee adds.

     

    While 16 cameras in a football match is not that big a figure as the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League and other important football tournament matches are covered by as many as 32 – 40 HD cameras with a camera fixed on each player. On the other hand, a few of them focus on the crowd, managers, staffs and officials. In that sense, there is a lot yet to be done in India. Greymind produced I League 2014-15 with 11 cameras whereas IMG covered Indian Super League (ISL) with 17 cameras.

     

    Speaking on the difference in production quality, Chatterjee says, “The quality is directly proportional to the production investment, which is gradually increasing with time in India. This year I League’s production was better than previous year’s. Also, besides production investment, there are a few relevant factors too, on which the quality depends. For example, a match in Salt Lake stadium with lesser crowd will look bad on screen no matter what. So a Kolkata Derby with the same number of cameras in the same stadium looks way better than any other match because of the house full stadiums. In Europe or America. the stands are always full.”

     

    Besides camera there are other technical aspects too which makes football look the way it does on screen feels Chatterjee sharing his experience he asserts, “I went to Brazil to see the world cup matches both how teams are playing as well as how it is produced, they use an analytical software called Deltatray which gives live analysis of how much a player ran and other individual statistics the cost of that software is more than the entire production cost in India.”

     

    In India production cost for an I League, CFL or an international match is around Rs 7 lakhs for Standard Definition (SD) coverage and can go up to Rs 10 lakhs for High Definition (HD) coverage. IMG produced ISL’s production cost goes as high up as Rs 30 lakh per match.

     

    “ISL has rejuvenated the entire football fraternity and I expect it to grow bigger and better with time. The tournament garnered huge viewership on television and the stadiums were also houseful. If football becomes big in India, production standards will also go up,” says Chatterjee.

     

    Stepping up on their game, Greymind’s will be producing India’s World Cup qualifiers (four matches) on behalf of IMG this year. The first match is scheduled to be played against Oman on 11 June, 2015 in Bengaluru.

     

    “This would be a huge challenge for us and we are really looking forward to this event. Getting to cover on behalf of IMG is a big achievement for us and it’s also an opportunity to make a mark on the international market. It will be a high definition coverage and will be aired on Sony Six,” informs Chatterjee.

     

    When queried as to whether there was a gap in skill, which effects the execution, Chatterjee says, “I don’t think there is a huge difference in skill. It’s the investment that’s different. We deploy around 70 skilled technicians who have the potential to work on numerous systems and cameras. It’s the basic that matters. Technicians equipped with strong basic will be able to work on any system.”

     

    Quality TV production in Indian Super League has already created a major impact on Indian football and the same stands true for I League and West Bengal State League (aka Sahara Kolkata Premier League). Last year, TVR for Kolkata Derby, which was produced for Star Sports and aired on Jalsa Movies, was higher than World Cup Football final in this market. Efforts are made to enhance the standard of TV production through innovations and expertise. This year, Greymind used super slow motion camera and drone camera to add more values in I League matches.

     

    Looking ahead, the company aspires to emerge as a strong player in South East Asian market and is also looking to strengthen its digital production by launching a website and promote shows like Extra Time.

     

    “Our goal is to make the sports competitive, widely watched, media and sponsor friendly through high quality TV production and build up stars who would be the iconic faces for football in India. Our primary target is to produce quality live football shows in South Asia. We firmly believe that quality and standard of football largely depends on quality of TV production. So the South Asian countries, who are not doing well in terms of FIFA ranking and domestic league, can be given best quality TV production,” Chatterjee concludes.

     

  • Sony Six looks to chase viewership and not brands for NBA

    Sony Six looks to chase viewership and not brands for NBA

    MUMBAI: With the National Basketball Association (NBA) telecast rights for the season in its kitty; Sony Six is taking a distinctive approach towards the sports property.

    While traditionally broadcasters chase brands to rake in ad sales revenue from its big-ticket sports franchises, Sony Six is looking at pulling in viewers for the game, which is telecast early morning on the channel.

    The channel is all set to premiere the NBA Finals featuring the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers and the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors. The NBA Finals is the championship series of the 2014–15 season of the NBA and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs.

    Speaking on the channel’s strategy to grow ‘breakfast viewership’ for the game in India, Sony Six and Sony Kix EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan tells Indiantelevision.com, “We are in the developing process now and the prime goal is not to get brands and sell inventory at this stage. Currently, we are concentrating on developing a substantial following for the sport, which will help us in the long run. We are looking at a long-term deal with NBA India and the key is viewership now. I believe it’s better not to sell instead of selling at a low rate.And that’s the reason why we never went aggressively to sell. That is not our priority at this stage.”

    Speaking about the final, Krishnan says, “Overall it has been a great season for NBA fans as uncertainties orchestrated the season. Ecstasy, agony, passion… everything was there in the series so far and if the final goes to the 7th game it will be a perfect ending for us as a broadcaster because viewers will have a worthy treat.”

    Breakfast viewership is a relatively new concept and NBA India in association with Sony Six has been pushing aggressively across different mediums to promote it.

    Upbeat about the finals, NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco says, “The love for NBA in India is growing at a brisk pace and the finals will certainly help it.We have launched various social media campaigns to garner as much traction as possible. We have also organised breakfast viewing get together with our clients.So the finals are going to be utterly exciting.”

    Speaking on the growth of the sport in India, Colaco says, “We are growing at triple digit percentile in every aspect whether it is merchandising, social media impressionsor television viewership, which is very encouraging as we see good prospect in long run.”

    While the sport may have a good prospect, it is suffering due to lack of endeavor made to promote the sport feels Madison Media Omega COO Dinesh Singh Rathod. “NBA, which is a part of breakfast viewership is there since a long time but it has been treated as another brick in the wall and no aggressive efforts were made by any broadcasters till date to properly promote a sport like NBA. Timing is another factor that plays a vital role against the development.Cricket too, if played in a time slot like this will face problems and the ad rates will go down. So overall for fans,the NBA final is a treat to watch but from a business perspective I feel lot of hard work has to be done to sell slots at a high rate,” he says.

    This is the first time since 1998 that none of the participants in the Finals are the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs, or the Miami Heat. Coincidentally, this is also the first NBA Finals to not feature Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, or Dwyane Wade since 1998 and the fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance for Cleveland teammates LeBron James and James Jones, who both played for the Miami Heat the previous four seasons. The finals feature two teams with title droughts of four decades, with the Cavaliers having never won since their 1970–71 inception and the Warriors’ last title in 1975.

  • Sony Six targets HSM with launch of Hindi feed for TNA

    Sony Six targets HSM with launch of Hindi feed for TNA

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports and entertainment channel Sony Six has launched the Hindi feed for its wrestling entertainment property – Total Non-stop Action (TNA).

     

    Starting 6 June, 2015, every weekend at 9pm, the channel will air two hours of the wrestling entertainment in Hindi across India. The announcement comes as a major development in response to the growing popularity of Mahabali Shera, the first-ever Indian wrestler on TNA. This also marks a significant investment by Sony Six towards the growth of wrestling programming across the Indian market.

     

    The televised show hours will be encapsulated under the branding Shera ki Kahaani that will feature Mahabali Shera aka Amanpreet Singh and follow his storyline right from his entry in TNA.

     

    It may be recalled that recently TNA and Sony Six signed a long-term deal, wherein the channel will be the exclusive home for all TNA-based content until 2022.

     

    To garner viewer interest, the channel has initiated an on-air campaign, including promos inviting viewers to catch his story exclusively on Sony Six. Through this initiative, the channel aims at expanding its current programming reach amongst the vast Hindi-speaking market, which also follows combat sports keenly.

     

    Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan said, ‘‘We are really excited to announce the launch of an alternative language feed for TNA as with this initiative we move into the next phase of expanding the popularity of TNA in India. This endeavour aligns with our commitment to constantly innovate and offer localized content to appeal to the taste of our Indian viewers. Shera’s introduction has managed to further Brand TNA in the country, and now with the launch of local feed, we aim to further expand the sampling of the sport amongst the mass viewership demographic in India.”

     

    Sony Six has been experimenting with the local language feed offering for prime sporting properties, which has further contributed to its viewership growth. The channel initiated the local feed option by airing the 2014 FIFA World Cup for the first time ever in Bengali. Following its success, the channel also offered multiple regional feeds including Telegu, Tamil and Bengali for the Pepsi IPL 2015.