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Tag: World Rugby

  • Sony Sports Network to telecast Rugby World Cup 2023 live from France exclusively to TV viewers in India

    Sony Sports Network to telecast Rugby World Cup 2023 live from France exclusively to TV viewers in India

    Mumbai: Rugby fans in India can now watch the high-octane action of the Rugby World Cup 2023 live on Sony Sports Network, the official television broadcaster for the most prestigious quadrennial rugby tournament. The tournament will be available to television viewers across Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 2 and Sony Sports Ten 5 channels in India.  

    The Rugby World Cup is being hosted in France for the second time in its history and the matches will be played across nine venues in the country with Paris hosting the final at the Stade de France. The first game from the storied tournament will see hosts France take on the most successful nation in the tournament, New Zealand in a highly anticipated game.

    The Rugby World Cup sees participation from the top rugby union national teams in the world. Held every four years, the 2023 edition of the Rugby World Cup is the tenth edition of the tournament and will see 20-teams compete against each other in France for the coveted trophy. Participating nations include the defending champions South Africa, who will compete against the likes of New Zealand, France, Australia, Scotland, Tonga, Wales, Namibia, amongst others.  

    Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer – distribution & international business and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul, said, “Sony Sports Network is known as the premier destination for international marquee sporting events from across the world. The Rugby World Cup 2023 is the biggest and the most prestigious international rugby tournament in the world. Rugby in India has a dedicated following and this is the third successive edition of the Rugby World Cup tournament that we are broadcasting to serve fans in India.”  

    World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said, “We are extremely pleased about the broadcast partnership with Sony Sports Network as the home of the Rugby World Cup 2023 in the Indian sub-continent. Audiences in the region will be offered outstanding and comprehensive coverage of our showcase tournament as they get to witness the tremendous strength, agility, and willpower on display during the tournament.”

    Rugby World Cup will be live telecast on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 5, Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 2 HD and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD channels from 9 September 12:45 am onwards.  

  • Blockchain companies investing in sports sponsorship projected to reach $5 bn by 2026: Report

    Blockchain companies investing in sports sponsorship projected to reach $5 bn by 2026: Report

    Mumbai: There were 2,254 publicly announced e-sports sponsorship deals globally in 2021 compared to 1,785 in 2020 making it one of the fastest growing segments of the global entertainment industry. The data was provided by Nielsen Sports’ 2022 global sports marketing report titled ‘Fans are changing the game.’ The female e-sports fan base grew by 19 per cent, while the male fan base grew by 12 per cent, it said.

    Interestingly, Blockchain companies investing in sports sponsorship is projected to reach $ five billion by 2026. This represents a projected 778 per cent increase in sports sponsorship from the crypto, blockchain and NFT brand category. 

    Nearly 40.7 per cent of global sports fans now stream live sports through digital platforms. This has led to the increase in over-the-top (OTT) media rights which includes a 19 per cent jump for the top European football leagues over the last two years at the local level, and a 31 per cent increase forecasted for the men’s tennis ATP Tour through 2023.

    Sports viewership has become a multi-screen experience with 47 per cent of people who watch sports simultaneously interacting with other live content (increase by five per cent over the last year). The demand for content overall remains high with non-event broadcasts, such as highlights, recap videos, and more, nearly as high as the event itself. Nielsen estimates that 39.4 per cent of global fans will watch non-live content related to a live sports event.

    Nielsen estimates there was a 146 per cent year-over-year rise in unbundled sponsorship investment in women’s sports (UEFA, FIFA, World Rugby) compared to a 27 per cent rise in 2020. With more women’s sports being televised, there are now increased sponsorship opportunities specific to women’s sport, which means that many brands are effectively reaching consumers that weren’t previously reached through sponsorships in men’s sport.

    Among other key findings of the 2022 Nielsen Sports Report, sports sponsorships were up 107 per cent in 2021, and through an analysis of 100 sponsorships in seven markets across 20 industries, Nielsen found that they drove an average 10 per cent lift in purchase intent among the fanbase.

    Overall, Nielsen’s 2021 Trust in Advertising Study showed that 81 per cent of global respondents either completely or somewhat trust brand sponsorships at sporting events. Athletes have shown a higher potential to establish connections with fans, with 26 per cent of avid sports fans who use social media for sports news saying that athletes are a great way to connect with brands and sponsors.

    The Nielsen report reveals the new behaviours that fans have adopted during the pandemic to connect with the sports and teams they follow, whether through increased social media activity, betting, co-watching, or more. By outlining how Nielsen predicts ‘Fandom’ in 2022 will impact sports sponsorship models, content distribution, the rise of crypto, esports and women’s sports, it will help contextualise the value of sports partnerships, helping brands and sports properties predict the future value of media assets and marketing investment ROI.

    “From our work as a data-driven company and by surveying thousands of fans, it is clear to see that sports fans demand new types of content driven by innovative delivery platforms.  In turn this impacts how rights holders and brands should approach audience engagement and sponsorship outcomes,” said Nielsen Sports MD international Marco Nazzari. “With sponsorship sophistication rising, measuring effectiveness at every step is now expected by brands. Predicting ROI and sales lift will be key for sports rights holders to remain relevant and secure marketing budgets from brands going forward.”

    “As traditional and digital worlds merge, the sponsorship life cycle is now broadening, creating additional and more well-rounded monetisation opportunities. It will become vital for brands to leverage new technology and utilise digital platforms to develop fan-engagement strategies that didn’t exist before in linear broadcasting. The fan is now the catalyst for huge change,” Nazzari further said.

    The full report can be accessed here