Tag: T20

SPSN onboards 15 advertisers for India’s Sri Lanka tour

New Delhi: The Men in Blue are all set to return on Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) as the countdown begins for the India tour of Sri Lanka. The much-awaited cricket series with three ODIs and three T20s is all set to begin on 13 July.

The series will be aired in India LIVE in four languages: SONY TEN 1 and SONY SIX in English, SONY TEN 3 in Hindi, and on the newly launched SONY TEN 4 in Tamil and Telugu from 1.30 pm as well as live-streamed on its on-demand OTT platform SonyLIV.

The network has roped in as many as 15 advertisers so far, which includes Byju’s, Pan Bahar, Amazon Prime, 99 acres.com, Cars 24, Oppo, Tata Motors, Raj Niwas, Vimal, Kent, Unacademy, Housing.com, Policy Bazaar, Paisa Bazaar, and Dafa News. “The network is in the process of closing more brands before the start of the first ODI on 13 July,” it said on Wednesday.

SPSN will be back with its flagship studio show Extraaa Innings in English and Hindi. The LIVE studio show in English will be presented by former players like Sanjay Manjrekar, Ajit Agarkar, and Ajay Jadeja along with Matt Floyd while the Hindi studio show will be presented by former cricketers – Mohammad Kaif, Vivek Razdan, Amit Mishra, Saba Karim along with Arjun Pandit. The Tamil commentary box will feature Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, WV Raman, Vidhyut Sivaramakrishnan, T Arasu, and S Seshadri while the Telugu commentary will be presented by Venkatapathy Raju, Gnaneshwar Rao, C Venkatesh, RJ Hemanth, Sandeep Kuma,r and Vijay Mahavadi.

Led by former India captain Rahul Dravid who will step in as coach, this will be the first time two senior Indian men’s teams play bilateral series simultaneously. Shikhar Dhawan will captain the young side while Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be the vice-captain in the three-match ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Rana, Krishnappa Gowtham, and Chetan Sakariya are likely to receive their maiden Indian cap in ODIs and T20Is and will have the experience of seasoned players like Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and more by their side as all eyes will be on the performance and future of the Indian Cricket Team.

SPSN has also launched the #JeetneKiZid campaign that depicts the #HungerToWin or #JeetneKiZid of the Indian Brigade, who are ready to give their all to emerge victorious in Sri Lanka. The campaign calls all Indian cricket fans to show their support and cheer for their home team as the young squad is very determined to emerge victorious in Sri Lanka.

June 30, 2021
MyTeam11 shows how families bond over cricket

JAIPUR: In the run-up to the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) fantasy sports platform MyTeam11 has unveiled a new campaign – Ab Poora India Khelega, which brings forth the narrative of how fantasy cricket is meant for all and brings people closer through the passion for their favourite sport, players and teams.

The campaign was launched through three videos that depict the bittersweet relationship between a father and a son and how people in an Indian household bond over the game of cricket, especially, during the world’s largest T20 cricket extravaganza. The campaign also highlights how the user-friendly MyTeam11 application makes learning fantasy cricket easy.

The storyline of each campaign video depicts a son who is smart, tech-savvy, a fantasy cricket enthusiast and an avid user of MyTeam11. He believes that his father knows nothing about fantasy cricket and goes on to ignore his words. However, in a counter of events, at the end of each film, it is shown that the father is well aware of MyTeam11 and outsmarts his son making more prudent choices owing to his sheer superior understanding of cricket leaving the son astounded.

MyTeam11 CMO Manvendra Singh Rathore said, “A father and a son’s relationship has evolved with changing times especially when it comes to our favourite sport of cricket. But what still remains exclusive and competitive is the knowledge of the sport. This is exactly what we have also tried to capture in our latest campaign Ab Poora India Khelega. We have explained while fantasy cricket now captures the imagination of every Indian household but the knowledge of the sport is still paramount which brings them closer.”

The video campaign of Ab Poora India Khelega will also be complemented by the participation of brand ambassador Virender Sehwag, who shall be seen alongside former New Zealand speedster Danny Morrison, renowned cricket TV hosts Jatin Sapru, Mayanti Langer, Sanjana Ganeshan and Suhail Chandhok across all campaign collaterals.

MyTeam11 had launched the “India Ki Apni Fantasy App” during the 2020 Indian T20 Season and saw immense success leading to a 3-3.5x rise in the number of participants on the platform.

Links of campaign videos:

Film 1

Film 2

Film 3

April 7, 2021
BCCI approves 10 IPL teams from 2022

MUMBAI: With the IPL doing so well this year in west Asia, despite the pandemic, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today decided to give the go ahead to add two more teams to the roster of eight, come the 2022 season. The cricket body has told the IPL governing council to come up with the modalities of including two more sides as well as the schedule for the IPL in 2022.

With two additional teams joining the league, the number of match days will extend, adding to the excitement amongst fans.

Over the past two months, speculation ran rife that IPL 2021 would have nine teams, which has proved to be false following today’s BCCI’s AGM in Ahmedabad. With less than four months left for the next tournament, it was decided to stick to eight teams for the 2021 edition.

The meeting also saw the appointment of Rajeev Shukla as vice-president of the BCCI while Brijesh Patel and KM Majumdar were elected as the BCCI representatives on the IPL governing council. Pragyan Ojha was also elected to the same as the players’ representative.

December 25, 2020
India tour of Australia moves into second leg with 3 T20I matches

KOLKATA: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN), the official broadcaster of India tour of Australia, is all set to air the three upcoming T20I matches between the two cricketing giants, from 4 December, 2020. The T20I matches will be broadcast live and exclusive on Sony Ten 1 in English, Sony Ten 3 in Hindi and Sony Six channels in English, Tamil and Telugu from 12.30 pm IST.

After a high-flying finish in the third ODI, where Team India handsomely registered their first win of the tour, the Men in Blue seem to have found their rhythm leading to the three T20I matches. The second white ball series will be a tight knit contest as both teams will take on the field with renewed focus and motivation to turn the tide in their favour ahead of the all-important test matches.

David Warner and Pat Cummins will miss the rest of Australia's white-ball matches against India, while D'Arcy Short has officially joined the T20I squad. Men in Blue will look forward to turn the series in their favour as they hope to bank on forms of some key T20I players such as Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammad Shami and Shikhar Dhawan among others. Australia are currently ranked number one in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings and with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, these matches will form a crucial part for both the teams’ preparations in this format.

The T20I will be followed by the much-awaited four test matches for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The first Test will be a day/night affair, from 17-21 December at the Adelaide Oval. It will be India's first away day/night Test, adding historic significance to the contest. The other three test matches will be held at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sydney Cricket Ground and the Gabba.

December 3, 2020
Sunfeast’s Dark Fantasy brings luck for Royal Challengers Bangalore

NEW DELHI: ITC’s Sunfeast Dark Fantasy had announced its first-time collaboration with team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the onset of the T20 cricketing season. Through this collaboration, the brand aims to associate itself meaningfully with the hugely popular sport and star cricketers from team RCB. Built around every fan’s ‘Dark Fantasy’ for the team’s victory this season and a relatable yet entertaining spin on a superstition that biting into Sunfeast Dark Fantasy while watching a match will lead to a favorable performance, is the launch of Sunfeast’s Dark Fantasy ‘Lucky Hai’ conversation.

As fans continue to enjoy the tournament from the comfort of their homes, RCB’s successful performance this year only enhances the watching experience for the Fans. Right in time for the fans’ celebratory mood is a new TVC, capturing a slice-of-life and relatable match moment is a part of a larger campaign “Asli Maza andar se aayega”. One among the three friends believes that his ‘Dark Fantasy’ is a lucky cookie and he bites into it at a crucial match moment. Upon hearing this, while the other two friends initially break into laughter, they soon see things work out in their favor in the match and celebrate by sharing that pack of Sunfeast Dark Fantasy. This film is a part of a larger campaign on the thought of ‘Asli Mazaa Andar Se Aayega’ which features consumers in relatable situations watching the tournament while enjoying their favorite cookie from within their homes this year.

ITC COO biscuits and cakes Ali Harris Shere said, “Over the years, Sunfeast Dark Fantasy has carved a unique niche for itself with its indulgent offerings that evoke a happy feeling from within, similar to the sentiments cricket fans experience while watching the popular tournament. We are very happy that our first, new-formed association with team Royal Challengers Bangalore has started on a positive note and look forward to a fantastic cricketing season of delighting fans and consumers alike.”

October 26, 2020
Delhi HC directs Airtel to modify IPL ads

MUMBAI: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel, under instruction from the Delhi high court, has agreed to modify its ongoing ad campaign of promising “live and free access” to the coverage of the Indian Premier league (IPL).

The change reflect the fact that the “free access” to the IPL would actually cost consumers the price of the data consumed while streaming the matches. In other words, the “free access” is not free after all.

Airtel’s assurance was given in the court of Justice Yogesh Khanna after its newest competitor, Reliance Jio, moved court to ensure that a “large number of unsuspecting” consumers are not lured by the “misleading” campaign.

Airtel committed to the court to make it abundantly clear that the service would cost them. It said it would include a bold disclaimer that only subscription to video-streaming platform Hotstar would be free and that data charges, according to the subscriber’s plan, would apply.

Jio claimed that the advertisements “falsely proclaim” that Airtel was offering “live and free” access to T20 cricket coverage and “falsely represent that a subscriber need only to obtain a 4G sim from the defendant company and download the Airtel TV app to obtain a virtual season pass i.e live and free access to T20 coverage.”

This would disadvantage other service providers such as Jio who have also come up special packages for the IPL season but by openly declaring the tariffs.

April 14, 2018

IPL 2018: The dos and don’ts for brands

MUMBAI: Brands are always on the hunt to find events with high engagement and some sporting properties are just that. The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been one of the most sought after and followed sports events in India since 2008. It’s 2018 now, its eleventh edition and the IPL has come a long way.

The T20 tournament is the fifth most popular sporting event in the world with over 335 million viewers and the number only seems to be increasing every year. Ad displays are synonymous with the IPL. Every conceivable property, right from boundary line ropes, billboards, stumps to even the sight screen is covered with brands and is monetised.

The IPL has turned out to be the best property for advertisers, considering its short three-month schedule, high consumer involvement and television ratings. Ever since the league started, it has managed to attract major clients as sponsors, including PepsiCo, Vivo, Oppo, Havells, Vodafone, Samsung, DLF, Karbonn among other big spenders.

With less than two months to go before the season starts in April 2018, brands have begun their hunt to pick their favourite teams.

Any sporting event is only made possible through the commercial participation and support of sponsors, partners, licencees and broadcasters. While Vivo Mobiles is the league’s title sponsor this year, several brands have come on board to become the associate sponsors for the teams.

The IPL governing council issues brand and content protection guidelines for all the brands that provide guidance on appropriate and acceptable commercial and non-commercial utilisation by third parties of the IPL proprietary names, proprietary marks and trophy image and audio-visual representations of the league.

Franchise sponsors and partners are granted certain rights by the franchises they associate with. The rights that franchises may grant to their sponsors and partners are governed by the franchise agreement, sponsorship guidelines, player ID guidelines and other applicable league rules.

But just because a brand isn’t Vivo doesn’t mean it can’t get a boost from the game—just that it needs to be careful. The council issues many pages of guidelines on the do’s and don’ts.

Indiantelevision.com got its hands dirty and compiled the crib sheet for advertisers and players below :

Players:

Major players competing in the games have established sponsorship deals with one or several brands. But once the league begins, they need to be careful about what they say, wear and do.

They Can	They Cannot
Share their experiences at the games via social media	Post or talk about their personal brand sponsors or mention any branded products
Share their own photos or videos	Mention or promote any organisations they support
Use IPL logo, so long as its not in a commercial context	Wear any branded apparel that isn’t official on IPL property

Official sponsor brand:

These are the brands that shell out big bucks for the title league partnership. Official sponsorship is expensive stuff for a usual five-year deal which is why only mega brands end up signing on the dotted line.

They Can	They Cannot
Advertise while the game is in progress	Conduct any advertising or promotions that have not been pre-approved by the IPL governing council.
Enjoy exclusive advertising within their market category	Cannot use IPL name or logo that is confusingly similar or likely to be mistaken for IPL footage which is unlicensed and unauthorised.
Mention the game on social media platforms
Supply their goods and services on an exclusive basis within IPL venue
Sell merchandise and team jerseys
Can run ticket promotions or IPL prizes in contest

Other brands:

Brands that are not official title sponsors but are partnering team sponsor or additional sponsor are allowed to do a limited amount of marketing during the league. These brands include brands like Kent RO, Muthoot Finance, Royal Stag, Kingfisher, Parle, Lotus Herbals among others that have come on board this season

They Can	They Cannot
Run marketing campaigns that feature the teams they sponsor	No franchise sponsor or partner may use the IPLname or marks in any of its marketing communication or promotion
Merchandise with general cricket terms, India related terms, provided there is no usage of IPL name or logo	Manufacture and sell counterfeit merchandise relating to IPL or unlicensed use of the IPL relating to any of the teams participating in the league
Can run ticket promotions or IPL prizes in contest	Launch a new campaign while the league is in process that talks about their association with the tournament without prior licence from the IPL committee.
	Brands cannot reproduce or distribute items during IPL and cannot be used on goods, in business names or in advertising promotions without licence from the IPL
	A formal or pre-existing association with any of the eight participating teams does not permit a team player or team sponsor to use the IPLname or logo without prior authorisation from the committee.
	Engage in ambush marketing, basically an attempt to create the false impression of an official relationship with IPL.

Live score on mobile and SMS guideline for official and team sponsors:

They Cannot
Use IPL name or footage on any mobile or wireless technology including on mobile apps without licence
SMS updates of live stores and game that utilise the IPL name

Brands and match schedule:

They Can	They Cannot
Use the match schedule to provide information in a purely non-commercial sense	Commercial use or presentation of match schedule by third parties is not permitted

Though the rules may sound stringent, they are to safeguard the interests of parties. Brands have to be extra cautious while associating and marketing themselves during sporting events and it is not all fun and games in the end!

Also Read :

IPL 2018 gets a makeover with Star India

Star India bags 5 new advertisers for IPL 2018

IPL 2018: Team sponsorship deals may see an uptick

Global appeal of Indian sports high, says Deloitte report

February 26, 2018

Viacom18, DSport join hands for simulcast of Nidahas Trophy

MUMBAI: In what may be a sign of things to come, Viacom 18 has struck a deal with DSport to live simulcast the Nidahas Trophy, a tri-nation series tournament featuring India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

DSport, Discovery’s sports channel, had acquired the exclusive India broadcast rights of Nidahas Trophy 2018 last week. In an industry-first initiative, the broadcaster has joined hands with Viacom18 to live telecast the series. While DSport will telecast English commentary, Viacom18-owned mass entertainment channels Rishtey Cineplex and Cineplex HD will feature Hindi commentary for the tournament. Rishtey Cineplex reaches out to maximum number of viewers across any Hindi Movie channel with a reach of 460 Mn+ individual viewers across India (urban and rural) and therefore will add more eyeballs to the international T20 series scheduled to begin on 6 March 2018. Cineplex HD will further add to the enhanced viewer base by taking the tourney to a premium Hindi content consumer base.

Explaining the rationale behind the partnership, Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats said, “Sports broadcasting is a bit of a business conundrum–it represents a sizeable opportunity but the cost of entry tends to be prohibitive. It has been a white space that we have continuously been evaluating and this association with DSPORT to air the NIDAHAS tri series provides us with a fertile testing ground. As we endeavor to test waters with our very first broadcast of an international sporting property, what better than a cricket tri series involving the national team.”

This tri-nation internationalT20 tournament will follow a round robin format with all the three teams playing each other twice, and the top two progressing to the final to be played on 18 March 2018. All the matches will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

“The future belongs to collaborative broadcasting and this association between Discovery’s DSPORT and Viacom18’s Rishtey Cineplex is a pioneering initiative that seeks to broaden the horizon of sports broadcasting in India,” said Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak. “Cricket is much more than a sport in this country – it is an emotion. With this collaboration, we will be taking this emotion to more than ~460mn additional viewers in India.”

Commenting on the partnership, DSport business head TS Panesar said, “In a first of its kind arrangement we are delighted to partner with Viacom18’s Rishtey Cineplex and Cineplex HD to bring Hindi telecast of the Nidahas Trophy to millions of fans in India. The Nidahas Trophy celebrates 70 years of Sri Lankan Independence and as such holds a special significance and we expect a keenly fought contest between India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.”

Also Read:

Dsport acquires exclusive India rights for Bellator MMA

Dsport acquires India rights of tri-nation tournament in SL

January 30, 2018
Average time spent on TV skyrockets

MUMBAI: The idiot box is still alive! Despite all the talk of television taking a back seat to online streaming platforms, the average time spent (ATS) per viewer was at an all-time high in the penultimate week of the year. According to week 51 of Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) viewership report, people are spending more time watching TV. This phenomenon is driven by the holiday season with schools and offices being closed on account of the Christmas vacation.

During the week, Hindi speaking markets (HSM) registered a record high ATS of 3 hours 38 minutes, four per cent more than the previous 13-week average ATS, which stood at 3 hours 29 minutes. The ATS in the urban HSM market stood at 3 hours 54 minutes, five per cent more than the 13-week average ATS of 3 hours 43 minutes.

Earlier this year, on its TV premiere, Baahubali 2 received a mind-numbing 26054 Impressions (000s) sum in week 41 of BARC data even though the movie was available on several digital platforms prior to the TV release.

The top-5 HSM markets that grew the most were:

There were several reasons for growth in ATS in the HSM market. The jump in the viewership of sports, news and kids genre was the trigger for this exponential rise in TV watching.

The two T20 matches and the One-Day International (ODI) played between India and Sri Lanka during the week contributed to the spike in the viewership of sports. Both T20 matches started at 7:30pm whereas the ODI match was a day-night game that led to the prime time ATS growth. Furthermore, PV Sindhu’s Dubai International Masters matches helped enhance the ATS.

Another factor that was responsible for the increase in TV time was news with the Gujarat and Himachal Election results boosting viewership in the Hindi news genre. Morning and mid-day coverage of the results did wonders to hold viewers’ interest. Moreover, thanks to the holiday season, kids’ channels grabbed a significant number of eyeballs.

Top-5 genres that registered maximum growth in ATS in HSM:

In spite of the burgeoning content consumption on streaming services and OTT platforms, TV is far from dead. While Indian viewers are consuming more online content, the appeal of linear TV has not dulled for the average viewer. BARC’s numbers suggest that TV reigns supreme when it comes to sports, news and kids’ content.

Also Read:

Marathi GECs see a surge in viewership

BARC ratings: DD Sports in top 5 after 37 weeks

Guest Column: How 2018 could become a landmark year for OTT entertainment in India

December 29, 2017
Star Sports inspires all to ‘Believe’ in Kohli’s mission

MUMBAI: Star India is confident that cricket fans across the country will join to cheer the men in blue as they reach their true potential in the exciting home season.

Star Sports has released a film on Virat Kohli’s mission to take the Indian cricket team to the top spot in all three formats this home season.

The film showcases his determination and perseverance in the pursuit of excellence.

One of the most sought-after global sportspersons, Kohli’s discipline, relentlessness and unmatched drive has made him the leading ODI and T20 batsman in the world and an inspiration for legions of young fans in India.

The film takes the viewers through a day in the life of Kohli, portraying his never-say-die attitude. It begins with Kohli waking up at the crack of dawn, driven by a commitment to his goals. His day begins at the gym, as he works out to stay focussed and fit, and always aiming to better his last best performance.

At the practice pitch, Kohli is seen honing his batting prowess, as the film calls-out his cricketing achievements. “When you’re ready to expend every ounce of your energy, all you need to do is Believe,” says Kohli, as the film concludes.

A Star India spokesperson said, “We, at Star Sports, constantly strive to raise the bar when it comes to showcasing world-class cricket, and bringing fans closer to the sport and its heroes. Virat Kohli embodies a commitment towards sport and fitness. Under his dynamic leadership, Team India is looking to dominate world cricket across all formats.”

The season ahead promises to be full of anticipation and excitement, with Team India playing against Australia currently, followed by New Zealand and Sri Lanka later in the year.

October 13, 2017