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Tag: Sony Sports Network

  • BCCI media rights auction set to commence on 31 August

    BCCI media rights auction set to commence on 31 August

    Mumbai: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to have an auction on 31 August 2023, for the media rights of international and domestic matches for the upcoming five-year cycle. A few weeks ago, the BCCI released an Invitation to Tender (ITT) seeking proposals from reputable organisations.

    The ITT, which was made available after payment of a non-refundable fee of Rs 15,00,000 along with applicable GST, included the specific rules and regulations regarding the tender process, including eligibility requirements, the method for submitting bids, rights and obligations, etc. The ITT was up for grabs until 25 August 2023.

    For the new cycle, the BCCI is offering two packages: Indian subcontinent TV rights and Indian subcontinent digital rights, both of which are bundled with the remainder of the world’s TV and digital rights. The television bundle has a starting price of Rs 20 crore per match, however, the digital package commences at Rs 25 crore per match. It has also been mentioned that the total amount per match must not be less than Rs 60 crore per game. The upcoming cycle includes a total of 88 games.

    Only three companies have reportedly submitted technical proposals for the BCCI media rights – Disney Star, Sony Sports Network, and Viacom18.

    According to media reports, other entities such as ZEE Entertainment Enterprises and FanCode, as well as two other international corporations, Google and Amazon are not believed to have participated. As a result, the highly anticipated media rights auction for international and domestic fixtures in India will be a three-way fight between Sony and Star, and Viacom18.

  • Sony Sports Network returns with Extraaa Serve, the broadcasters’ flagship studio show for the US Open

    Sony Sports Network returns with Extraaa Serve, the broadcasters’ flagship studio show for the US Open

    Mumbai: Sony Sports Network, is the official broadcaster and Sony LIV is the official streaming partner of the upcoming US Open in India, set to commence on 28 August 2023.

    Current ATP World Rank No.1 and reigning US Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz will look to re-ignite his rivalry with former top seed Novak Djokovic, who will be aiming to add to his record 23 grand slam titles at the US Open. In conjunction, Tennis stars from the Men’s Singles category such as Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be looking to pose a challenge to the dominance of Alcaraz and Djokovic during the tournament.  

    Iga Swiatek, current WTA Rank No.1 will look to defend her US Open title this time around as Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula will look to challenge her at the US Open.  

    Sony Sports Network will play a pivotal role in bringing dynamic tennis action live from the prestigious USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, New York City. The acrylic hard courts at the venue have been the home of the US Open since 1978 and have hosted countless classics that have enthralled tennis fans over the years.  

    In addition to the LIVE Coverage of the US Open, Sony Sports Network’s flagship studio show, Extraaa Serve will be telecast before and after each match day, which will be hosted by Suhail Chandok. Extraaa Serve will feature expert insights from fan favourites, Somdev Devvarman, former India No. 1; Purav Raja, who represents India in the Davis Cup and Indian Tennis Legend and multiple Grand Slam winner, Sania Mirza. Hindi commentary of the matches will begin on 6 September, with Saarthak Lal, Manish Batavia, and Atish Thukral joining the commentary team as panellists Quarter-Finals onwards.

    Sony Sports Network continues to be the premier destination for Tennis in India as the official broadcaster for the upcoming editions of the French Open at Roland Garros, Cincinnati Masters, Australian Open, and Canada Open. Additionally, Sony Sports Network will also be the official broadcaster for the upcoming editions of the Davis Cup.   

  • PhonePe co-founders invest in RuPay Prime Volleyball League, pick up Mumbai franchise

    PhonePe co-founders invest in RuPay Prime Volleyball League, pick up Mumbai franchise

    Mumbai: As the second season of the league approaches, the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 is set to further expand its family. The founders of digital payments company PhonePe came on board as investors in the PVL league and acquired the eight franchises, including the Mumbai Meteors. The former Indian national volleyball team captain, Abhijit Bhattacharya, joins them as the general manager of the Mumbai Meteors franchise.

    PhonePe co-founder Sameer Nigam said, “As a regular volleyball player myself, I have a great sense of how enthralling the sport can be. And the RuPay PVL gives us a perfect opportunity to build this sport in a professional way to a world-beating level. I am excited about the opportunity.”

    PhonePe co-founder Rahul Chari said, “The Indian sports ecosystem is an exciting place with a lot of room for development, especially in the non-cricket space. The RuPay PVL seems like a great opportunity to work and contribute in this space.”

    In the inaugural season of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23, which is co-promoted and exclusively marketed by sports marketing firm Baseline Ventures, 24 games were played. The league had a cumulative television viewership of 133 million, with the choice of English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, or Malayalam commentary.

    In addition, the RuPay Prime Volleyball League managed to reach over 84 million fans across India, along with over five million engagements from audiences through various digital platforms. A massive regional connection was also established through the contemporary social media platform Share Chat, while substantial viewership was gained on videos through Moj. In total, the videos distributed across social media platforms garnered over 43 million views.

    For season two, which is expected to commence in early 2023, the commercial arm of the global body of volleyball (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, FIVB), Volleyball World, has joined hands with PVL. It has come on board as the international streaming partner in a multiyear association. Sony Sports Network continues to be the host broadcaster. There will be 31 games to be played in the second season of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League, powered by A23.

    RuPay Prime Volleyball League CEO Joy Bhattacharya noted, “We are delighted to have Sameer and Rahul on board with us as franchise owners as the league continues to grow bigger and better. It is exciting to see hugely respected corporate leaders not only showcasing their support for the sport but also backing the business model that we have worked so hard to build. I am confident their expertise will help us in further expanding the league to an even wider audience as we go along.”

    Kochi Blue Spikers owner Thomas Muthoot said, “It’s fantastic to hear that Nigam and Chari have acquired the Mumbai Meteors. Their business acumen and passion for sport will be a major asset for the RuPay Prime Volleyball League this time around. We are confident that the addition of the Mumbai franchise will help us in taking the league to even greater heights.”

     

  • Volleyball World announces to stream the RuPay Prime Volleyball League globally

    Volleyball World announces to stream the RuPay Prime Volleyball League globally

    Mumbai: As season two of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 approaches, Indian volleyball is set to go global.

    Powered by A23, the RuPay Prime Volleyball League has signed a multi-year deal with the leading global streaming website, Volleyball World, as international streaming partners. Along with existing host broadcast partners, Sony Sports Network, who will be broadcasting season two of the Prime Volleyball League in the Indian subcontinent, the entire season will also be available on Volleyball World globally to showcase India’s elite talent. The Prime Volleyball League is co-owned and exclusively marketed by sports marketing firm, Baseline Ventures.

    Launched in 2021, Volleyball World, a product of a partnership between the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and CVC Capital Partners, is aimed at driving growth, innovation, and investment in volleyball around the globe with a key focus on bringing the global volleyball community together. The association with Volleyball World will offer a golden opportunity for Indian volleyball players to showcase their skills and talent across the world. It will also help the Indian fans to get access to top global volleyball events, which will further help in increasing the sport’s popularity in the country.

    Speaking on the partnership, Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor said, “We are delighted to associate ourselves with the Prime Volleyball League. The standard of volleyball that we saw in India has made us extremely optimistic about the future of the sport. We believe volleyball fans around the world will be pleasantly surprised to see the passion for the sport in India. We see this as an enduring partnership to build the world’s most popular family sport in one of its largest markets.”

    Baseline Ventures MD & co-founder Tuhin Mishra said, “We are thrilled with our multi-year partnership with Volleyball World, which has already established itself as the go-to platform for global volleyball fans across the world. We truly believe in our country’s volleyball stars and we cannot wait for the world to appreciate the talent that is present today in the country. The partnership with the global body of volleyball, Volleyball World, will help us in accessing the best global practises in the sport, which will help in nurturing and grooming the youngsters in the country.”

    Volleyball World was launched in order to drive innovation, growth, and investment in volleyball around the globe. It has grown to become the commercial entity for the sport around the world for FIVB. Volleyball World is already working alongside top volleyball leagues and federations in the world with the goal of increasing the profile and popularity of the sport through fresh investment for the benefit of fans, players, and national federations.

    Volleyball is the fourth most popular sport globally, with more than 800 million fans and high participation across attractive markets, including Italy, Brazil, Japan, Poland, China, and the US. Volleyball was the most watched sport at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, with 2.6 billion viewer hours globally. Even during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, indoor volleyball was among the most viewed sports in India.

     

  • Sony Sports Network announces to broadcast Commonwealth Games, launches new campaign

    Sony Sports Network announces to broadcast Commonwealth Games, launches new campaign

    Mumbai: Sony Sports Network gears up to live broadcast the XXII Commonwealth Games starting from 28 July 2022 at 11:00 pm. To celebrate the occasion, Sony Sports has also launched a campaign ‘Birmingham mein Jitega! Hindustan Hamara’.

    The campaign aims to rally support for the Indian contingent. The film features the prime minister Narendra Modi and minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur along with several Indian athletes with a rallying call to win medals at the games and celebrate our 75th Year of Independence in England.

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    The marquee event will mark the return of Sony Sports Network’s Live wraparound studio show ‘Sports Extraaa’ featuring eminent panelists and guests. The global event which will see participation from over 200 Indian athletes, will be telecast live across Sony Six, Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 3 & Sony Ten 4 channels, as well as live-streamed on its on-demand OTT platform SonyLIV.

    Sony Sports Network will telecast the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games with two-language feeds across its channels. In addition to this, they will also have their live studio show, ‘Sports Extraaa’ return for the games. Legendary Indian athletes like Viren Rasquinha, Somdev Devvarman, Trupti Murgunde, and Veda Krishnamurthy along with sports journalists Ayaz Memon and Siddharth Pandey will be part of the star-studded panel for the show and will be seen sharing their insights around the happenings throughout the games. It will also host eminent guests from the sports fraternity like Vijender Singh, Anju Bobby George, Satish Shivalingam, Kripashankar Bishnoi and more who will weigh in and analyse the performances of athletes from across the participating commonwealth nations.

    As part of the build-up, Sony Sports Network also launched an eight-episode show titled ‘The Torchbearers’. The first episode of the show featured the Minister of Youth Affair and Sports, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting along with Olympians Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen, Hima Das, Lakshya Sen, Dutee Chand, Noah Nirmal Tom, Srabani Nanda, and Lakshya Sen, among others. And three episodes of the show will be telecast again on 28 July leading up to the opening ceremony which will witness the proud Indian contingent of over 200 athletes. The grand ceremony will have a live audience of over 30,000 at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.

    The quadrennial event will mark the debut of the Indian Women’s cricket team led by Harmanpreet Kaur for the Women’s Cricket T20 event. Banking on the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues, team India will play against Pakistan, Australia, and Barbados to qualify for the play-offs. While Indian women cricketers will look to exert their dominance in Birmingham, the heroes of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – Lovlina Borgohain, PV Sindhu, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Bajrang Punia, Mirabai Chanu, and the Indian hockey team will enter the marquee event with high expectations from the nation. After impressing viewers with their brilliant performances across various events, new athletes like DP Manu, Annu Rani, and Manpreet Kaur, among others will also look to increase the medal count of India.

    Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer, distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “After the huge success of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, it gives us immense pleasure to broadcast the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The broadcast rights for the Birmingham 2022 positions Sony Sports Network as the home for international multi-sporting events in India. Armed with a single goal to put our country on the global sporting map, our athletes have been training incessantly and it is our endeavor to showcase the stories of these national heroes. Keeping this goal in mind and to rally our support for the Indian contingent, we have also launched the ‘Birmingham Mein Jeetega Hindustan Hamara’ campaign. In addition to this, to provide a holistic viewing experience, our studio show, sports extraaa will feature stellar panelists who will provide real-time insights into various games.”

  • Sony Sports Network & SonyLIV to air Ultimate Kho Kho inaugural season from 14 August

    Sony Sports Network & SonyLIV to air Ultimate Kho Kho inaugural season from 14 August

    Mumbai: The opening season of Ultimate Kho Kho will roll out on Sunday, 14 August 2022 in Pune, where six teams will engage in action that will culminate with the title clash on 4 September 2022. India’s first-ever franchise-based professional Kho-Kho league will host its matches at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune.

    Promoted by Dabur India chairman Amit Burman in collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), the league aims to revolutionise this indigenous sport with a modern twist both on-air & on-ground.  

    34 matches will be played with two matches per day in Season 1, during the league stage. The knockout matches will be played in a playoff format which will consist of a qualifier and eliminator matches. The live broadcast will begin at 7 pm (IST) and continue until 10 pm (IST) on each match day. The revamped format of Ultimate Kho Kho aims to be exciting and engaging for not only the Kho Kho players but also sports enthusiasts and viewers.

    Sony Sports Network will air the event in Hindi (SonyTEN 3), English (SonyTEN 1), Tamil, and Telugu (SonyTEN 4) and be available on SonyLIV.

    The inaugural season will witness six teams in the shape and form of Chennai Quick Guns (KLO Sports), Gujarat Giants (Adani Sportsline), Mumbai Khiladis (Badshah & Punit Balan), Odisha Juggernauts (Government of Odisha), Rajasthan Warriors (Capri Global) and Telugu Yoddhas (GMR Sports) competing for the inaugural season over 21 days. 

    Ultimate Kho Kho CEO Tenzing Niyogi said, “We would like to thank all our Six Team Owners and Sony Sports Network, who have shown their support and faith in our vision as Ultimate Kho Kho. Our objective has always been to transform Kho Kho and bring forth the new avatar in front of the masses of India to make our country a multisport nation.”

  • We add more credibility & variety to our sports line-up every year: Rajesh Kaul

    We add more credibility & variety to our sports line-up every year: Rajesh Kaul

    Mumbai: India loves cricket with 90 per cent of most watched sports broadcasts in the country being live cricket. Sony Sports, a leading sports broadcaster, is going to bring 1800+ hours of live cricket on television screens starting from June till February 2023.

    Sony Sports has recently launched its cricket campaign for the year led by Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana and actor Pankaj Tripathi. The ‘Non-stop cricket on Sony Sports Network’ kickstarts with the broadcast of the India tour of Ireland and England.  

    In the previous year, the sports broadcaster set new viewership records with its back-to-back programming of marquee sporting events including Olympics Games Tokyo 2020, UEFA EURO 2020, and Copa America.

    Sony Sports, once again, hopes to ride the momentum of its back-to-back cricket calendar comprising India and non-India cricket, women’s cricket and T20i tournaments to garner viewership and attract advertiser attention.

    Leading the sports and distribution verticals for Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India, Rajesh Kaul is responsible for invigorating the sports business at SPN and the acquisition of marquee sports properties for the network.

    He also drives international sales for the network in collaboration with the digital team to expand SPN’s brand presence and lead across the world. Under his leadership, the SPN distribution has been expanding rapidly.

    Kaul joined the SPN in 2008. He began his career with ICI Paints and thereon moved on to Modi Entertainment Network. He joined ESPN Star Sports in 1997 and sharpened his leadership skills at the organisation for over 11 years. Rajesh played a vital role in creating the success story of ESPN Star Sports, heading their distribution and marketing nationally, and was credited with the successful launch of Star Cricket.

    In conversation with Indiantelevision.com, Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer, distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul speaks about Sony Sports strong sports programming line-up and the business and marketing strategy to maximise eyeballs and revenues.  

    On the diverse line-up of live cricket for the year 2022

    With each passing year we add more credibility and variety to our sports line up and this year the Sony Sports Network will be home to 1800+ hours of cricket. In addition to the marquee India tour of England, which has one historic Test match pending, the team also plays 3 T20i’s and 3 ODI’s in England. This will take place between India playing in Ireland and India playing in Zimbabwe. In addition to this action-packed calendar of Indian men’s cricket, we also have the women’s team touring England and an enviable bilateral cricket calendar featuring England vs New Zealand, Australia vs South Africa, Sri Lanka vs Australia, England vs South Africa, Australia vs England and more along with popular T20i tournaments like the Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League and Women’s Big Bash League. 

    On the amplification strategy of the sports network

    Love for cricket knows no boundaries and this is what we have showcased through this campaign. To that end, we have crafted this ‘Non – Stop Cricket’ campaign featuring a very differentiated star Pankaj Tripathi, India’s most loved actor and Smriti Mandhana, Indian women team’s opening batter. Our sports network has been known for creating thought provoking and meaningful campaigns such as ‘Meri Doosri Country’, ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’, ‘Sona Mana Hai’ amongst others and this campaign, conceptualised through the creative partnership of our inhouse team and Scarecrow M&C Saatchi Advertising Agency, aims to break the clutter by bringing a leading woman cricketer to promote men’s and women’s cricket.

    On beating the viewership records set in 2021

    2021 was a landmark year for Sony Sports Network. In this milestone year, we hosted marquee sporting events such as the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020, UEFA EURO 2020, and Copa America, which helped us attract the highest ever ratings. Viewership impressions on TV for UEFA EURO 2020 were more than double of the previous edition, whereas ratings for Copa America & Olympics Games Tokyo 2020 grew by 59 per cent and 23 per cent respectively (BARC, All India U+R, All Audience, LIVE match Impressions on TV). 

    In 2022, we ride on an action-packed cricket calendar with 1800+ hours of cricketing action on our network. Cricket has always been a bestseller in our country and with the new era of Rohit Sharma and Ben Stokes’ captaincy in the upcoming India tour of England, there is a lot to look forward to on Sony Sports Network. Along with cricket, we also have football properties like UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League, Bundesliga and much more. In addition to these we also have WWE and UFC action through the year, Grand Slam tennis action with the recently concluded Roland Garros, as well as domestic leagues like Prime Volleyball League and the upcoming Ultimate Kho Kho tournament.

    On its association with advertisers

    Cricket has always been a major crowd puller and advertisers have always shown interest in various bilateral series, T20 leagues and international tournaments. Our campaign for our cricket calendar which includes India and non-India cricket, women’s cricket and T20i tournaments has attracted the interest of advertisers. Apart from that, team India’s remaining Test against England is seen as an attractive proposition due to its high value. This will be followed by limited overs’ T20i and ODI series which will mark the beginning of a new era of Rohit Sharma and Ben Stokes’ captaincy. Taking into consideration the importance of the series, we have already received a positive response from the advertisers.

  • Sony Sports to air India tour of Ireland, England starting 26 June

    Sony Sports to air India tour of Ireland, England starting 26 June

    Mumbai: Sony Sports Network will telecast two bilateral series with India tour of Ireland and India tour of England in succession, starting 26 June.

    Team India returns to the shores of Ireland for two T20i matches after their last series there in 2018. This will be followed by the much-anticipated series starting with the fifth test against their arch-rivals England followed by three T20Is, and three ODIs starting 1st July 2022. Both the series will be aired live on Sony Six (English), Sony Ten 3 (Hindi), and Sony Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels, as well as live-streamed on its on-demand OTT platform Sonyliv.

    Both the series will mark a new era for the Indian cricket team with Rohit Sharma captaining for the very first time overseas and Hardik Pandya leading the T20i side in Ireland. England also has a new captain in Ben Stokes who is currently leading his side in the series against New Zealand. Both the new captains will meet in July to close the test chapter that started last year under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and Joe Root, with the series score line currently at 2-1 in India’s favour. Much to play for, the Indian side is looking at a historic test series win in England, while Ben Stokes and his men need a win to draw the series 2-2.

    Sony Sports Network has also announced a list of eminent names who will be a part of their commentary panel and will also feature on their live studio show Extraaa Innings across the two series. The English and Hindi commentary panel will feature David Gower, Graeme Swann, Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Jadeja, Sanjay Manjrekar, Saba Karim, Vivek Razdan along with Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton joining directly from the grounds in England. The Tamil commentary box will feature WV Raman, Vidhyut Sivaramakrishnan, TR Arasu, and R Sridhar, while the Telugu commentary will be presented by Venkatapathy Raju, Gnaneshwar Rao, C Venkatesh, Vijay Mahavadi and Sandeep Kumar. The list of presenters across the two series includes Harsha Bhogle, Sanjana Ganesan, Matt Floyd, and Arjun Pandit.

    Additionally, the network will bring back its School of Cricket segment for young cricket enthusiasts across the nation. Ace presenter and writer, Anubhav Jain will be seen hosting the show with cricket experts.

    Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer, distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “We are delighted to have India cricket back on Sony Sports Network with two back-to-back bilateral series. Viewers are excited to watch the much-anticipated fifth test against England which has been a mainstay of all the cricket conversations in the past year, and fans across the nation have been looking forward to this closure. As we get a conclusion for the 2021 series, we are excited to start the next chapter with three T20Is and three ODIs. And to further provide audiences with a seamless and holistic viewing experience, we present our live studio show, Extraaa Innings that features a star-studded panel and both the series will be live telecast in four languages”

    India’s tour of Ireland and England is a part of Sony Sports Network’s ‘Non-stop Cricket’ campaign. The campaign that highlighted 1,800+ hours of international cricket action available on Sony Sports Network, features the unique duo of India Women’s Cricket Team opening batter Smriti Mandhana along with actor Pankaj Tripathi. After the first campaign film successfully broke the clutter in sports advertising, the network recently launched the second film for the upcoming India tour of England. The film shot at a Dhobi Ghat metaphorically implies the impending ‘Dhulai’ of the England cricket team on their turf by Team India.

  • Sony Sports Network to live broadcast ‘Roland Garros 2022’ in four languages

    Sony Sports Network to live broadcast ‘Roland Garros 2022’ in four languages

    Mumbai: Sony Sports Network is all set to broadcast the year’s second grand slam event, the ‘Roland-Garros 2022’. The tournament will be live from 22 May. For the first time in India, the audiences will get to watch the Roland Garros in a language of their choice, English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu across Sony Six SIX, Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 3, and Sony Ten 4 channels as well as live-stream the tournament on its on-demand OTT platform SonyLIV.

    This is the first year that the Sports Network will be showing the prestigious grand slam and the broadcaster is going all out with live coverage of the event in four languages.

    Sony Sports Network will provide the viewers with an unparalleled viewing experience of the marquee event with a holistic coverage of the tournament with four language feeds and a live studio show. The tournament will see the return of Extraaa Serve, which is the broadcaster’s flagship show for Grand Slam tournaments. The show will be hosted by Sarthak Lal and will feature expert panelists like Olympian Somdev Devvarman, Davis Cup player Purav Raja, and former tennis player Gaurav Natekar.

    The Hindi commentary on Sony Ten 3 channels will be provided by Manish Batavia, Atish Thukral, and Gaurav Natekar. Current Indian players Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Arun Venugopal will be part of the Tamil commentary panel, while Asian Game medalist Vishnu Vardhan and Sandeep Kumar will be seen doing Telugu language commentary on the channel.

    Roland Garros has always been circled by tennis fans as this is the only grand slam where they get to watch the top ranked tennis players from across the world perform on the clay court. While the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal is an absolute fan favourite, last year’s champion Novak Djokovic will also look to defend his title and look to join Nadal in the 21 Grand Slam winners club. Apart from the tennis giants, Carlos Alcaraz has also caught the interest of fans with his brilliant performances. In the women’s matches, World No. 1, Iga Swiatek will look to extend her stupendous performance and win her second Grand Slam title against the likes of Barbora Krejcikova, and Paula Badosa. The marquee tournament will also see participation from top-seeded Indian players like Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza among others.

    Sony Sports Network has received a huge response from advertisers with brands like Hyundai, Amul, Rolex, Apple, 1x News, Target One, Fairplay News, Lottoland and Dafa News coming onboard.

  • SPNI bags broadcast media rights to Roland-Garros 2022-24

    SPNI bags broadcast media rights to Roland-Garros 2022-24

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has bagged the exclusive media rights to broadcast Roland-Garros between 2022-24. The deal spanning over three years provides SPN with exclusive TV and digital rights of Roland-Garros.

    The broadcaster will televise the French Open on its sports channels across India and the subcontinent including, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, and will also be available to live-stream on their premium OTT platform, SonyLiv.  

    The upcoming edition of the Grand Slam tournament is scheduled to be played between 22 May and 5 June. Sony Sports Network witnessed a viewership of 22 million for the previous Grand Slam, the Australian Open, the highest recorded viewership in recent years.

    “Following the successful broadcast of the Australian Open over the past years on our network, we are delighted to acquire the media rights of the prestigious Roland-Garros,” said SPNI chief revenue officer for distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul. “The pedigree of the French Open will help us cater to the steadily growing tennis fanbase in India. With this acquisition, we reiterate our goal to position Sony Sports Network as the home to marquee global sports events.”

    “We are delighted with the signing of this Sony Pictures Networks India contract,” said French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton. “This new agreement ensures maximum exposure in India and its subcontinent. It means our tournament will be celebrated in this part of the world where tennis fans and Roland-Garros fans are increasingly numerous.”