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Tag: Champions Tennis League

  • The 'each set is a match' structure is already being talked about amongst national and international tennis fraternities alike

    Champions Tennis League ready to engage viewers with novel format

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony Six has acquired the broadcasting rights for Champions Tennis League, a pan-India city-based tennis championship league set to take place from November 17 to November 26, 2014.

     

    The television-friendly format of CTL lends itself to the taste and sensibilities of the Indian audience, who have been generally seen to enjoy watching fast-paced sports like the T20 cricket. The ‘each set is a match’ structure is already being talked about amongst national and international tennis fraternities alike. Also renowned names like Mark Woodforde, Louise Pleming, Luke Jensen and Prakash Amritraj will be seen keeping the viewers engaged with thier quick witted and insightful commentry on the game. Apart from the pacey and competitive tennis, the tournament will feature after-match parties, fashion shows and interactions with the fans on the rest days; thereby acting as a ‘carnival of tennis’ for both tennis fans and the general match-goers.

     

    Commenting on the development, Prasana Krishnan, Business Head, Sony Six said, “The format for CTL is tailor made for television. The short and exciting structure of the matches will ensure that audiences are entertained and engaged throughout the course of the tournament. Also, with the entry of CTL, the viewership for tennis in our country should finally extend beyond the Grand Slams and select ATP and WTA tournaments.”

     

    With CTL, Sony Six will further add to its exciting mix of entertainment-based sports programming led by global phenomena such as the NBA, the FIFA, the Pepsi IPL and the Ultimate Fighting Championship among others. The inaugural CTL not only boasts of a first-of-its kind format but will also be the first international tennis tournament to be held in cities like Pune and Chandigarh, which have traditionally not been the bastions for the sport in the country.

     

  • The TVC marks itself as the first ever tennis super league commercial to be aired on national television

    Inaugural campaign for Champions Tennis League launched

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony SIX has unveiled its first TVC for their marquee tennis property, The Champions Tennis League. The TVC marks itself as the first ever tennis super league commercial to be aired on national television.

     

    Conceptualized by Havas Worldwide, the commercial is targeted towards sports fans and general audiences alike by igniting the passion for tennis that has been evoked with the element of the tennis ball. Capturing a series of montages of the tennis ball in action, the commercial culminates into the announcement of India’s most exciting all-star tennis league, the Champions Tennis League. Through the commercial, the channel aims to engage with a large spectrum of audience by driving the relevance of the tennis ball in one’s everyday life.

     

    The commercial opens with a quick montage of clips being shown on the tennis ball being put to use. The scenes are supplement with a voiceover narrative of how the tennis ball is being used in India for a wide variety of activities. From being used as an object for amusement in the hands of a juggler in a circus, to being a ball of terror against batsmen playing “gully cricket’ or from being an item of décor used for rickshaws to a vessel for communicating hidden messages of love amongst the youth in the country. The advertisement catches the various aspects of the florescent sphere and how it has made its way into the daily lives of the people. The commercial goes on to depict further instances of the tennis ball in use with a catchy tune that syncs with the jovial feel of the commercial. The commercial ends on a unique note where the ball flies into a house causing disturbance in the house of an elderly man. The man comes out onto his balcony with a presumable rage, blaming the neighbourhood kids for playing cricket all day. At that point the commercial takes an unconventional twist where much to the aged man’s surprise; the kids playing down are holding tennis racquets and are sporting an impish smile. This sync in with the concluding shot of the commercial where the narrative voice over prepares audiences to get ready to witness the best of international tennis superstars compete in India at the Champions Tennis League.

     

    Prasana Krishnan

    Commenting on the launch of the TVC, Prasana Krishnan, Business Head, Sony SIX, said, ‘‘Through the years, the tennis ball has come to be synonymous with a host of activities like cricket, lagori and juggling amongst many other outdoor activities. It presents an autonomous manifestation of sportiness. What we have tried to do through this TVC is not only show the versatility of the ball but connect it to its fundamental use, which lies in the game of tennis, highlighting the first ever international tennis league to be hosted in India.”

     

    Vivek Rao, Executive Creative Director, said, ‘The team came up with a script that had a simple, wonderful insight. In India a Tennis Ball has been omnipresent in our lives since our childhood for reasons other than the game of tennis. Finally here’s a reason to see it for what it’s really meant for – Tennis! And the Champions Tennis League has the right pros to make it a must watch tennis league. The “extreme slow motion” treatment recommended by director Nitesh Tiwari was to ensure that the hero very clearly was the Tennis Ball.”

     

    The TVC will be aired across various English, Hindi and regional news, movies and entertainment channels and will be promoted on various digital spaces.

     

  • The league will witness national and international tennis talent with each team having top ATP and WTA players, captained by a Tennis legend

    Sony Six bags Champions Tennis League mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony SIX has bagged the exclusive broadcasting rights for Champions Tennis League. The inaugural league will take place between the 17th to 26th November and will be held in six cities in India. The league will witness national and international tennis talent with each team having top ATP and WTA players, captained by a Tennis legend.

     

    The Champions Tennis League will feature six city based teams, who will play 12 matches over an 8-day period, with the matches kick-starting from November 17. The teams will be structured into two groups, each having three sides each, where they would play each other in a home and away format. The top team in each half play each other in the 13th match on the 10th day for the inaugural Champions Tennis League trophy.

     

    Each team in the Champions Tennis league will feature one male and one female international player ranked amongst the top 25 in the ATP and WTA rankings. Each of the six teams will also have an international legend as their playing captain, apart from a noted top ranked Indian male tennis player. Two juniors, aged under 21 will also be a part of the team, selected by the All India Tennis Association, in order to give them exposure and the experience of playing with some of the best players in the world. All the games will be featured live and exclusive on Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD.

     

    The Champions Tennis League, together with Sony Six will travel the country bringing excitement and entertainment in a spectacle of such magnitude that has never been seen before for tennis in India.

     

    On the announcement of the acquisition, NP Singh, CEO, MSM India said, “Introduction of Champions Tennis League will help redefine the Indian tennis market paradigm. This will be a landmark event that will put India on the global map of tennis, featuring some of the world’s greatest tennis stars playing right here in our country. We are excited about this partnership and believe that the tournament will be a perfect blend of tennis and entertainment that has never been seen in India.”

     

    Sony Six EVP & Business Head Prasana Krishnan said “We are delighted to have Champions Tennis League on board as this acquisition signifies yet another endeavour by Sony SIX into bringing diverse sports offerings to the viewers. Champions Tennis league will be a treat for viewers as they will get to see the best of tennis action where International players and our National talent share the court. We believe that the league will not only give a fantastic viewing experience to the viewers but also help young Indian talent to perform on a grand stage.”

     

    The Champions Tennis League will start on the 17th of November and the finals will be held on the 26th of November 2014.