ITV

Tag: Ten Sports

  • Sony to rebrand Ten Sports channels next month

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India is all set to rebrand five Ten sports channels acquired from Zee last year.

    Confirming the news to Indiantelevision.com, SPNI CEO NP Singh said that channels will be rebranded next month.

    In February, the network completed the first phase of a two-phase acquisition of the Ten Sports Network from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL).

    Singh had remarked, “SPN is now equipped, better than ever, to offer its viewers premium sporting content with a sports portfolio that includes every major sport and many international as well as domestic leagues. We are now stepping into the integration process to facilitate a seamless transition.” And, ZEEL MD Punit Goenka had said, “I am confident that the TEN Sports Network will reach new levels of consumer engagement under the nurturing guidance of SPN. I wish them the best. I’ll be tuning in regularly.”

    Now, the SPN’s cluster of nine sports channels includes: Sony Six, Sony Six HD, Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD, Ten 1, Ten 1 HD, Ten 2, Ten 3, and Ten Golf HD

    In August 2016, the network announced a deal to acquire Ten Sports Network from ZEEL for US$ 385 million. The acquisition added South Asia’s leading sports network to SPN’s portfolio.

    Also Read :

    SPN India to feature in SPE growth in 2018

    Ten Sports: Sony Pictures Networks completes first phase of acquisition

    Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    Sony to add 10 channels in 2017

     

     

  • Dentsu Webchutney appoints Ajay Ahluwalia as ECD

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Webchutney, the digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has roped in Ajay Ahluwalia as executive creative director. He will be based out of the agency’s Gurgaon office. His last stint was with Contract Advertising where he handled some of the biggest brands in the country including Microsoft, Ten Sports and JK Tyres.

    With over 20 years of cross-category, cross-platform experience along with a diverse set of exposure spanning sales, marketing, photography, martial arts, and naturally, creative, Ahluwalia is all set to lead the charge for the agency.

    The keen motorcyclist and the black belt holder expressed his delight by saying, “I’m excited to join Dentsu Webchutney and the young brigade that is bubbling with energy to break the conventions with digital innovations.”

    Not only has Ahluwalia launched brands like Samsung and Bacardi in India, but also has helped nurture names like NIIT, and set up Oxygen – one of India’s first agencies to engage in the digital workspace.

    Commenting on Ahluwalia’s appointment, Dentsu Webchutney co-founder and chief creative officer Sudesh Samaria said, “It’s great to have someone of Ajay’s experience onboard in a digital environment, especially when the lines between mainline and digital are blurring as we speak. We look forward to him driving infectious ideas which resonate with the Dentsu Webchutney culture.”

    Dentsu Webchutney remains by far, the most awarded agency. Webchutney’s clientele include Airtel, Flipkart, Quikr, Swiggy, Tetra Pak, Canon, Whirlpool, Indusind Bank, Red Bull amongst others.

  • Ten Sports: Sony Pictures Networks completes first phase of acquisition

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and its affiliates have completed the first phase of a two-phase acquisition of the Ten Sports Network from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEE) and its subsidiaries.

    Following the completion of this phase of the acquisition, SPN’s cluster of nine sports channels will now include:

    . Sony Six and Sony Six HD
    . Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD
    . Ten 1, Ten 1 HD, Ten 2, Ten 3, and Ten Golf HD

    Certain other operations and assets will be included in the final phase of the acquisition, subject to certain closing conditions, which is expected to be completed in the next few months.

    SPNI CEO NP Singh said, “I am delighted that the teams from SPN and ZEE have completed this core phase of the transaction in good time. SPN is now equipped, better than ever, to offer its viewers premium sporting content with a sports portfolio that includes every major sport and many international as well as domestic leagues. We are now stepping into the integration process to facilitate a seamless transition.”

    ZEEL managing director Punit Goenka said, “Great job done by the teams from SPN and ZEE in facilitating the closure of this phase of the transaction. I am confident that the TEN Sports Network will reach new levels of consumer engagement under the nurturing guidance of SPN. I wish them the best. I’ll be tuning in regularly.”

  • Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    MUMBAI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) yesterday tweeted its approval to the proposed acquisition of the sports broadcasting business of Ten Sports by Sony Pictures Networks India. Acquisitions beyond a threshold need approval from CCI, which keeps a check on business practices across sectors.

    In August-end 2016, ZEEL had informed the BSE about the approval by its board of directors for the proposed sale and transfer of Zee’s sports broadcasting business to Sony Pictures Networks in an all-cash deal worth US$385 million. SPNI CEO NP Singh had then said that the acquisition of Ten Sports Network would strengthen SPN’s offering for viewers of cricket, football and fight sports, complementing their existing portfolio of international and domestic sporting properties.

    Ten Sports network is currently held by two subsidiaries of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL)—Taj Television Ltd, Mauritius, and Taj Television (India) Pvt. Ltd. Sony Pictures Networks India is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, which owns and operates the Sony Entertainment network of channels.

    Ten Sports channels being acquired are — Ten  Cricket, Ten Sports, Ten 1, Ten 1 HD, Ten 2, Ten 3, Ten Golf HD which operate in many countries including the Indian sub-continent, Hong Kong, Maldives, Singapore, the Middle East and the Caribbeans.

    Also Read:

    Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    Sony to add 10 channels in 2017

    Sony Pictures to acquire Ten Sports from Zee

  • Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    MUMBAI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) yesterday tweeted its approval to the proposed acquisition of the sports broadcasting business of Ten Sports by Sony Pictures Networks India. Acquisitions beyond a threshold need approval from CCI, which keeps a check on business practices across sectors.

    In August-end 2016, ZEEL had informed the BSE about the approval by its board of directors for the proposed sale and transfer of Zee’s sports broadcasting business to Sony Pictures Networks in an all-cash deal worth US$385 million. SPNI CEO NP Singh had then said that the acquisition of Ten Sports Network would strengthen SPN’s offering for viewers of cricket, football and fight sports, complementing their existing portfolio of international and domestic sporting properties.

    Ten Sports network is currently held by two subsidiaries of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL)—Taj Television Ltd, Mauritius, and Taj Television (India) Pvt. Ltd. Sony Pictures Networks India is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, which owns and operates the Sony Entertainment network of channels.

    Ten Sports channels being acquired are — Ten  Cricket, Ten Sports, Ten 1, Ten 1 HD, Ten 2, Ten 3, Ten Golf HD which operate in many countries including the Indian sub-continent, Hong Kong, Maldives, Singapore, the Middle East and the Caribbeans.

    Also Read:

    Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    Sony to add 10 channels in 2017

    Sony Pictures to acquire Ten Sports from Zee

  • dittoTV to telecast I-League, EFL live on Ten Sports

    dittoTV to telecast I-League, EFL live on Ten Sports

    MUMBAI: Over the past decade, the popularity of football tournaments nationally and internationally has paved the way for growing the fan base of the sport in India. In response to this growing trend, dittoTV has brought together the most anticipated Indian league- the I-League to its platform.

    The championship will kick-start with a fierce competition between East Bengal and Aizawl FC at 4.30 pm, followed by Bengaluru FC and Shillong Lajong FC at 7 pm on January 7. This year, the I-League will also witness the entry of newcomers Minerva FC and Chennai City FC in an action-packed match on 8 January at 4.30 pm.

    The semi-final of EFL kicks off on 11 January at 1.30 am, followed by a match on 12 January at 1.15 am.

    The widely followed EFL that kicked off in 2016 is gearing up for it’s semi-final, with two highly awaited matches. Manchester United will compete with Hull City on 11 January, followed by Southampton v/s Liverpool on 12 January.

    Youth being the chief driving force of the country, has largely influenced the growth of football as a sport in India. Since television viewing in India is traditionally subject to the preference of the older generation, young football fanatics find themselves resorting to online sports portals and live television platforms to keep up with the latest updates on their favourite sport. Consequently, international football leagues boast of an impressive rise in the number of viewers on multiple digital platforms in India, including dittoTV.

    dittoTV subscribers can tune into Ten 1 HD to watch the the matches live.

  • dittoTV to telecast I-League, EFL live on Ten Sports

    dittoTV to telecast I-League, EFL live on Ten Sports

    MUMBAI: Over the past decade, the popularity of football tournaments nationally and internationally has paved the way for growing the fan base of the sport in India. In response to this growing trend, dittoTV has brought together the most anticipated Indian league- the I-League to its platform.

    The championship will kick-start with a fierce competition between East Bengal and Aizawl FC at 4.30 pm, followed by Bengaluru FC and Shillong Lajong FC at 7 pm on January 7. This year, the I-League will also witness the entry of newcomers Minerva FC and Chennai City FC in an action-packed match on 8 January at 4.30 pm.

    The semi-final of EFL kicks off on 11 January at 1.30 am, followed by a match on 12 January at 1.15 am.

    The widely followed EFL that kicked off in 2016 is gearing up for it’s semi-final, with two highly awaited matches. Manchester United will compete with Hull City on 11 January, followed by Southampton v/s Liverpool on 12 January.

    Youth being the chief driving force of the country, has largely influenced the growth of football as a sport in India. Since television viewing in India is traditionally subject to the preference of the older generation, young football fanatics find themselves resorting to online sports portals and live television platforms to keep up with the latest updates on their favourite sport. Consequently, international football leagues boast of an impressive rise in the number of viewers on multiple digital platforms in India, including dittoTV.

    dittoTV subscribers can tune into Ten 1 HD to watch the the matches live.

  • Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    MUMBAI: The year 2016 saw quite a bit of shake-up in the realm of Indian sports broadcasting. Zee signed a proposal with Sony to sell its sports channels, marketed under Ten Sports brand, to the latter; the Indian cricket broad’s fight with the Supreme Court putting a question mark on IPL and its broadcast and the arrival of some professional sports leagues in India that garnered viewers as well as on-ground audience. The developments also saw sports broadcasting turn primarily into a two-horse race Star India on one side and Sony-ESPN combine on the other, while Nimbus Sports remains a comparatively small player.

    Talking to indiantelevision.com on the changing sports broadcast dynamics, Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) sports and distribution president Rajesh Kaul said, “2016 was a spectacular year for the sports cluster of Sony in terms of the growth. In January 2016, we launched the Sony ESPN channels, which scaled us up to a four-channel sports network. IPL 2016 exceeded expectations with a record viewership of 361.6 million viewers.

    “In addition to this, we also had the on-air and digital telecast of UEFA Euro 2016 on our network, one of the biggest and most watched international football tournaments in 2016. To amplify the viewing experience of the tournament, we continued our pioneering initiative of multi-language feeds and for the first time in India, there was a multi-language feed for an international football tournament with the telecast of Euro 2016 in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam languages.”

    Acquisition of Ten Network by SPN, subject to regulatory approvals, in a deal worth US$385 million does add fire-power as the channels operate in several countries, including the Indian sub-continent, Maldives, Singapore, Hong Kong, Middle East and Caribbean.

    The Sony sports network grew majestically in 2016. From Sony Six, Six HD, Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD to a bouquet of nine sports channels (Ten Network) prove Sony is looking to be serious player.

    Asked about the most viewed sporting event on SPN in 2016, Kaul said, “2016 was a strong year for the sports cluster of SPN and we enjoyed an excellent response to a plethora of our properties in cricket, football, fight sports and basketball / NBA. Both our marquee sports events IPL 2016 and UEFA Euro 2016 got an unprecedented level of viewership. In addition to this, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and NBA in our breakfast viewing category have also seen a substantial growth in viewership this year. Over 100 million viewers sampled UFC this year and more than 140 million viewers sampled NBA season 2015-16.”

    To cash in on the growing popularity of football in India and give a contest to cricket viewership and English Premier League (still the most followed footlball league in the world), the network tried to change the Spanish La Liga playing timings for the Indian audience who are ardent followers of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The matches were scheduled to start at 4.30 pm local time in Spain (8 PM IST). This added a huge chunk of viewership to the Spanish League and with a new La Liga office in Delhi, the league and the region’s broadcaster is surely looking to tap into the South-Asian audience.

    Talking about viewership of foreign leagues in India, Kaul opined, “The sports cluster of SPN caters to a diverse spectrum of viewers with a wide range of sports. The variety of foreign sport on SPNI is widely followed by Indian viewers.

    La Liga made a blockbuster start to the 2016-17 season by trebling its reach compared to last season. El Clasico match between Barcelona & Real Madrid is the most watched international football league match of the year (4.1 million viewers).

    UFC has seen exponential growth in ratings in 2016 with over 100 million viewers this entire year. TNA is immensely popular in India with the property being sampled by over 185 million viewers this year.

    NBA is another sport which has a wide following among Indian fans last season NBA 2015-16 being watched by more than 140 million viewers and we are expecting a strong season showing for the 2016-17 season.”

    With the television rights of La Liga in India, SPNI also has the digital rights for the Spanish League. Showcasing important matches on Sony LIV, its digital platform, SPNI has been able to get its share of sports’ digital audience. Knowing its huge potential in the Indian market, the digital platform, beamed the El Clasico live on its website and garnered huge numbers.

    “Sport is one of our key focus areas and we have the best football action available with us. We have showcased big ticketing football events like Euro 2016, Copa America Centenario as well as the El Clasico,” SPNI EVP and digital business head Uday Sodhi said, adding with a strong event line-up that includes La Liga Santandar, Sony was “truly the (Indian) home of football.”

    The network also recently showcased Bangladesh Premier League 2016 and, according to Sodhi’s claims, it turned out to be most watched cricketing event so far on Sony Liv. “In all our marketing and brand communications, we have sports as a prime genre. We have done a 360-degree campaign for promoting Sony Liv as the one-stop for the best of sporting action,” he added, highlighting the digital platform’s attempts to ride the sports bandwagon.

    With the Internet’s reach increasing in India, which also ups the potential of products riding it, dwelling on digital platforms’ strategies in general, Sodhi said, “With 350 million internet users in India (65 per cent users being mobile only) and projections of crossing 700 million internet users by 2020, there is huge potential in India that’s yet to be tapped. Online video is thriving and 50 per cent of total mobile data traffic is video. Youth is driving the mobile data usage and sports is one of the top online video genres.”

    So, what’s in store for 2017? “For the sports cluster of SPN, 2017 would be one of the biggest years and epic too as IPL would have its 10th edition. In addition, Kaul elaborated, adding there will also be two major FIFA events (2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup). Since the juniors’ championship will be the first FIFA even to be hosted in India, there is lot of anticipation and it could, according to him, change the whole landscape of football as a sport in India.

  • Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    MUMBAI: The year 2016 saw quite a bit of shake-up in the realm of Indian sports broadcasting. Zee signed a proposal with Sony to sell its sports channels, marketed under Ten Sports brand, to the latter; the Indian cricket broad’s fight with the Supreme Court putting a question mark on IPL and its broadcast and the arrival of some professional sports leagues in India that garnered viewers as well as on-ground audience. The developments also saw sports broadcasting turn primarily into a two-horse race Star India on one side and Sony-ESPN combine on the other, while Nimbus Sports remains a comparatively small player.

    Talking to indiantelevision.com on the changing sports broadcast dynamics, Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) sports and distribution president Rajesh Kaul said, “2016 was a spectacular year for the sports cluster of Sony in terms of the growth. In January 2016, we launched the Sony ESPN channels, which scaled us up to a four-channel sports network. IPL 2016 exceeded expectations with a record viewership of 361.6 million viewers.

    “In addition to this, we also had the on-air and digital telecast of UEFA Euro 2016 on our network, one of the biggest and most watched international football tournaments in 2016. To amplify the viewing experience of the tournament, we continued our pioneering initiative of multi-language feeds and for the first time in India, there was a multi-language feed for an international football tournament with the telecast of Euro 2016 in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam languages.”

    Acquisition of Ten Network by SPN, subject to regulatory approvals, in a deal worth US$385 million does add fire-power as the channels operate in several countries, including the Indian sub-continent, Maldives, Singapore, Hong Kong, Middle East and Caribbean.

    The Sony sports network grew majestically in 2016. From Sony Six, Six HD, Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD to a bouquet of nine sports channels (Ten Network) prove Sony is looking to be serious player.

    Asked about the most viewed sporting event on SPN in 2016, Kaul said, “2016 was a strong year for the sports cluster of SPN and we enjoyed an excellent response to a plethora of our properties in cricket, football, fight sports and basketball / NBA. Both our marquee sports events IPL 2016 and UEFA Euro 2016 got an unprecedented level of viewership. In addition to this, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and NBA in our breakfast viewing category have also seen a substantial growth in viewership this year. Over 100 million viewers sampled UFC this year and more than 140 million viewers sampled NBA season 2015-16.”

    To cash in on the growing popularity of football in India and give a contest to cricket viewership and English Premier League (still the most followed footlball league in the world), the network tried to change the Spanish La Liga playing timings for the Indian audience who are ardent followers of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The matches were scheduled to start at 4.30 pm local time in Spain (8 PM IST). This added a huge chunk of viewership to the Spanish League and with a new La Liga office in Delhi, the league and the region’s broadcaster is surely looking to tap into the South-Asian audience.

    Talking about viewership of foreign leagues in India, Kaul opined, “The sports cluster of SPN caters to a diverse spectrum of viewers with a wide range of sports. The variety of foreign sport on SPNI is widely followed by Indian viewers.

    La Liga made a blockbuster start to the 2016-17 season by trebling its reach compared to last season. El Clasico match between Barcelona & Real Madrid is the most watched international football league match of the year (4.1 million viewers).

    UFC has seen exponential growth in ratings in 2016 with over 100 million viewers this entire year. TNA is immensely popular in India with the property being sampled by over 185 million viewers this year.

    NBA is another sport which has a wide following among Indian fans last season NBA 2015-16 being watched by more than 140 million viewers and we are expecting a strong season showing for the 2016-17 season.”

    With the television rights of La Liga in India, SPNI also has the digital rights for the Spanish League. Showcasing important matches on Sony LIV, its digital platform, SPNI has been able to get its share of sports’ digital audience. Knowing its huge potential in the Indian market, the digital platform, beamed the El Clasico live on its website and garnered huge numbers.

    “Sport is one of our key focus areas and we have the best football action available with us. We have showcased big ticketing football events like Euro 2016, Copa America Centenario as well as the El Clasico,” SPNI EVP and digital business head Uday Sodhi said, adding with a strong event line-up that includes La Liga Santandar, Sony was “truly the (Indian) home of football.”

    The network also recently showcased Bangladesh Premier League 2016 and, according to Sodhi’s claims, it turned out to be most watched cricketing event so far on Sony Liv. “In all our marketing and brand communications, we have sports as a prime genre. We have done a 360-degree campaign for promoting Sony Liv as the one-stop for the best of sporting action,” he added, highlighting the digital platform’s attempts to ride the sports bandwagon.

    With the Internet’s reach increasing in India, which also ups the potential of products riding it, dwelling on digital platforms’ strategies in general, Sodhi said, “With 350 million internet users in India (65 per cent users being mobile only) and projections of crossing 700 million internet users by 2020, there is huge potential in India that’s yet to be tapped. Online video is thriving and 50 per cent of total mobile data traffic is video. Youth is driving the mobile data usage and sports is one of the top online video genres.”

    So, what’s in store for 2017? “For the sports cluster of SPN, 2017 would be one of the biggest years and epic too as IPL would have its 10th edition. In addition, Kaul elaborated, adding there will also be two major FIFA events (2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup). Since the juniors’ championship will be the first FIFA even to be hosted in India, there is lot of anticipation and it could, according to him, change the whole landscape of football as a sport in India.

  • Indo-Vietnamese venture brings Greymatter into filmmaking

    Indo-Vietnamese venture brings Greymatter into filmmaking

    NEW DELHI: Local content generated through creative storytelling. ‘Sut’ (meaning ‘shoot’ in Vietnamese) set to release in November 2016 is the first venture into film production by the content solutions company Greymatter Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

    Developed in collaboration with Vincent Ngo of the “Hancock” fame, the film is a coming-of-age story of two brothers set against the background of the sport, football. It has been directed by Vietmax, one of the most successful directors in Vietnam.

    Greymatter Founder and CEO Chandradev Bhagat said, “We have always been excited about films. ‘Sut’ is a project that came together quite magically. Having worked on and delivered projects across geographies, the idea was to bring together creative talent, international work flows and storytelling abilities from around the world to create strong local content. This marks the beginning of some of our exciting plans ahead”.

    Greymatter has been doing some pathbreaking work in both, sports and non-fiction content, including Premier Futsal League and Pro-Wrestling League in the live sports space. It has also developed the hit series ‘The Remix’. In the last year and a half, ‘The Remix’ has been sold in 15 countries. It has been nominated as the top 25 formats in the world at MIPTV – in fact making it the first Asian format to ever feature in the list.

    Greymatter is strategically focused on creating IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) properties and churning out creatively distinguished content. It is currently one of the few Indian companies to have sold original formats globally and is a recipient of multiple nominations and awards in India and the A-Pac region including the EMVIES, Spikes Asia and Asian Television Awards.

    The agency has worked with some of the biggest brands including Ten Sports, Sony Six, Star Sports, Disney, Viacom Colors and VH1 to name a few on the broadcast end and brands like Google, McDonalds, Tata and Idea in the branded content space.