MxMIndia

Tag: cricket

  • Neo Prime has sealed the broadcast rights for the West Indies tour of Bangladesh which began on November 13

    Neo Prime to air Windies tour of Bangladesh

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neo Prime has sealed the broadcast rights for the West Indies tour of Bangladesh beginning November 13.

     

    The series is expected to produce some exhilarating cricket as the West Indies, fresh from winning the recent World Twenty20 Championship – their first major title in eight years, aim to continue their ascent in the world rankings as they tour Bangladesh for 2 Tests, 5 One Day Internationals and 1 T20.

     

    Prasana Krishnan, COO, Neo Sports said: “West Indies cricket is on a high after their World T20 victory and we are thrilled to have stalwarts like Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul playing on Neo for our viewers in the Indian Sub-continent and the US to enjoy.

     

    Neo has been home to many memorable moments in international cricket, and a winning West Indies side is great news for cricket fans as they are compelling to watch. They took the honours the last time these two sides played a series in Bangladesh, but the hosts have always battled hard on home turf, and this has all the makings of an entertaining series.”

     

    Fans can look forward to some explosive batting performances as Gayle will be playing Tests against Bangladesh after 7 years and with an average of nearly 70 against them, he will be the player to watch out for.

     

    Bangladesh have never beaten West Indies in a Test match at home and they will want to correct the record this time around.

     

    The action is live on Neo Prime.

     

  • India may be out of the T20 Cricket World Cup, but advertisers continue to cheer

    India out, advertisers still in!

     

    By Ananya Saha and Robin Thomas

     

    India might not have made it to the semi-finals of the T20 Cricket World Cup, but the advertisers and sponsors of the event are still cheering. ESPN Star had sold inventories to about 34 advertisers and, according to industry estimates, the advertising revenues that the channel made for the T20 World Cup are already in the range of Rs 250 crore. Are they complaining?

     

    Mahesh Ranka

    Mahesh Ranka, Founder & CEO, Indus Sports and Sponsorship, feels that India’s performance would hit the advertisers. He said, “The ad deliveries in the World Cup will be lower given that India did not make it through. However, the advertisers and sponsors would have taken the factor of India not making it through before they signed up. The bigger issue is for ESPN Star, whose inventory might be affected.”

     

    It is no news that advertisers and agencies always plan with such contingencies, of India not winning or getting out of a tournament, in mind. And especially in the case of T20, India was going to play either five matches or seven. With just three games left, from a sheer quantity perspective, it does not seem a big loss to advertisers.

     

    Anwesh Bose

    Anwesh Bose, Senior Vice President, DDB MudraMax Media, said, “Advertisers and sponsors have got their value already. Cricket is a non-cancellable property, so nobody is going to withdraw the money they have put in. For the T20 World Cup, sponsors buy the inventory for the entire tournament.” He added, “The broadcaster, in this case ESPN Star, holds back about 10 percent of inventory of finals and semi-finals, which they sell at a very high premium. Now that India did not go, they might not be able to command the premium for the inventory.”

     

    With India losing, ESPN Star has definitely lost an opportunity that they would have capitalised on if India had made it through.

     

     

    Vivek Srivastava

    Vivek Srivastava, Joint MD, Innocean Worldwide, said, “If you are a brand that looks at tactical use of such opportunities then you might sound like prophets of doom at this eventuality. However, most strategically driven brands today have long-term sports marketing properties and a long-term perspective on leveraging them. They look at a long-term engagement via a mega sport like cricket. Our client Hyundai has a long-term vision about integrating the brand and engaging with India’s passion for cricket as well as other cricket-playing nations via a five-year official partner status with the ICC. While India missing out on a semi-final berth hurts the emotions, it is business as usual.”

     

    Agreeing with Mr Srivastava is Hiren Pandit, Managing Partner-Special Projects at Group M who opined, “Advertisers have got more mileage and viewership during the T20 matches, and India’s exit will be slightly disappointing for them. Most of the advertisers in cricket are long-term advertisers, all the deals have been done earlier. India’s early exit may have been a missed opportunity but it does not mean that advertisers will not continue to sponsor the sport. Viewership will be impacted by India’s exit but there will still be some viewership.”

     

    The industry believes that the viewership will only see a minor blip, if at all. According to Satish Menon, CEO, Sports 18, while advertisers may be slightly disappointed with the loss, it is not going to stop them from advertising or investing in cricket in the near future.

     

    Mr Menon asserted, “When (Team India) does not do well it does reflect on the viewership and so on. As far as the viewership is concerned there will be a marginal dip, not a huge one because cricket is a universal game and a lot of the cricket fans or viewers also follow other matches equally. So I don’t think India’s exit will have any major impact on viewership and especially because it is the T20 World Cup.”

     

    Sudha Natrajan

    “When India is not there in a tournament, there is between 25 percent and about 35 percent drop in the viewership as compared to when India is playing. This is the sort of trend you see in the earlier games. If the games are interesting, the viewership could even climb, despite India’s exit from the tournament. The problem however is the buzz and the interest level that the country has when India is playing as compared to when they are not playing. So more than the TVR, it is the overall interest that you see diminishing,” concluded Sudha Natrajan, founder, TMC Corporation.

     

    Given that it is the festive season in India, the advertisers might not mind a few losses.

     

     

    Clippings above (LtoR) from DNA, Hindustan Times and The Times of India

     

  • A feel-good response to the 3-part series on cricketer Yuvraj Singh's inspirational journey to be aired on Colors soon

    Thumbs up to Yuvi’s can-do story…

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    Where there’s a will there’s a way is one proverb that everyone of us have heard about and have even implied in our lives. However, there is one man who fits the proverb to the T and its none other than the country’s favourite cricketer – Yuvraj Singh.

     

    Ajay Kakar, CMO (Financial Services), Aditya Birla Group, Yuvraj Singh, Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors

    An icon for many and someone who’s always in limelight made recently headlines not for the sixers or catches but for being diagnosed with a disease which is still spoken about in hushed tones – cancer. But he survived it and is back in the country and in the Indian cricket squad for the upcoming T20 matches.

     

    It is this determination of the player which Colors, Viacom18’s flagship channel, wants to showcase to the world. The channel in partnership with the cricketer’s foundation YouWeCan wants to create awareness about the disease in the country.

     

    “We all know about Yuvi’s fighting spirit and he’s an inspiration to many. Therefore, we wanted to tell the world his story… a story of hope,” says Raj Nayak, CEO of Colors, while explaining the unique partnership the general entertainment channel has gotten into.

     

    Indian Cancer Statistics
     

    > Cancer is the second largest cause of death in India

     

    > In 2010, 5.56 lakh people died of cancer, and 71 percent of these deaths occurred in people aged 30-69 years

     

    > Most fatal cancers in men - Oral, Stomach and Lung

     

    > Most fatal cancers in women - Cervical, Stomach, Breast

     

    (Source: Study by Tata Memorial Hospital, Lancet, Centre for Global Health Research and University of Toronto)

     

    The three-part series – Zindagi Abhi Baaki Hai – will showcase the cricketer’s journey through pain, struggle and victory over cancer. “The show is about my life and I want people to know how one feels after being diagnosed with it and can lead to denial and depression. But I want them to fight and live again instead of giving up,” says Yuvraj Singh.

     

    Jai Lala

    According to media planners, it will difficult to say how much TRPs the show will be able to generate but it will definitely create a lot of buzz. “When Satyamev Jayate was launched, everyone thought it will score high on ratings but it didn’t. However, it did create a lot of awareness which might be true to these series as well,” predicts Jai Lala, Mindshare’s principal partner.

     

    “The programme is a special initiative. Such initiatives being one off in nature will appeal to different sets of people. If we look at overall TV scenarios it seems a large proportion of viewership is garnered by popular programs which essentially means viewers are looking for entertainment. The particular programme cannot be looked in the same light as standard soaps. Therefore TVRs might not be necessarily very high compared to standard soaps,” feels Kartik Sharma, Managing Partner, Maxus.

     

    Kartik Sharma

    But the people working for cancer awareness programmes aren’t worried about how many eyeballs the show will be able to garner. They feel that even a little communication can lead to some amount of change. Namita Shibad of the Pune-based Prashanti Cancer Care Mission is elevated about the show. “Even today, there is very less awareness about the disease. People don’t want to talk about it, so what Yuvraj has done is seriously commendable. The show will be able to generate awareness about the deadly disease and decrease the stigma associated with it. We and others like have been trying to do so for years now, but a celebrity can make a difference. If people can watch his survival story, I’m sure they will also believe that ‘if he can, then even I can’ which will open new perspective about it and give strength to millions to fight it rather than feel dejected.”

     

     

    Namita Shibad

    “There is no dearth of social relevant shows on television today but many take notice of them when big hoardings are put up or celebrities hosting them but that’s not our plan. We are not doing this for ratings. I recently lost a relative to cancer, so know the agony and turmoil surrounding it. And in our country where cancer is the second largest cause if death, the disease is still treated at a taboo. It is important to tell people that it can be cured. All one needs is the will to fight it,” adds Mr Nayak.

     

    Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance is the tittle sponsor of the show and feel that the association is not about endorsement but a partnership of philosophy. “We want Yuvraj to be the ambassador of teaching people how to live your life even when in dumps. When the going is good, no one thinks about the tough times. And when they face it, one question which most of us ask is ‘God, why me?’. However, this was not the case with Yuvraj who chose to fight back to live the life he loves. We are proud to associate with him and the channel in this venture as it tells the story of highs and lows of life,” said Ajay Kakar, chief marketing officer – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group.

     

    Pratap Bose

    “Yuvraj has a great fan following and this might be a major reason apart from the concept that advertisers might want to get associated with it,” feels Pratap Bose, COO, DDB Mudra Group.

     

    Mr Sharma adds, “As far as advertisers are concerned decisions on a programme buy is never an isolated case and always has a larger context of their overall campaigns. Some advertisers will find it worthwhile and some will not as is the case with any programming.”

     

    Mr Lala too feels that brands which have the similar message as the show wants to showcase will be glad to associate with it, but others wont be attracted towards it because of the impact and GRPs it will be able to generate.

     

    The channel hasn’t decided the time-slot for the series or when it will be aired as it is still being shot. However, the channel hopes to succeed in creating awareness and inspire people. All the proceeds generated through the show will be given top the cancer foundation.

     

    The series might be aired on other channels under the Viacom18 banner as well to make a stronger impact.

     

  • ESPN Star Sports bags a seven-year multi-platform contract with the English & Wales Cricket Board making the twin channels’ cricket offerings very impressive

    English cricket board hits slowdown for a six by selling cricket rights to ESPN Star

    By A Correspondent

    ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has inked a new seven-year contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for exclusive multi-platform rights to broadcast its domestic and home international matches across Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Although there are no official figures available, British media reports suggest the deal is worth over Rs 850 crore.

     

    The deal, which runs from 2013 to 2019, incorporates exclusive rights for television, online, mobile and radio, covering major cricket markets of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh among others across Asia; the broadcast arrangement also includes territories in North Africa. ESS has been ECB’s current broadcast partner in the region, having held the contract for the past five years.

     

    David Collier

    ECB Chief Executive David Collier’s statement indicated how the deal would help the game and the Board: “In a challenging economic climate with all sports facing tough competition for funding streams, it will also provide an important source of additional revenue for funding the development of our game at all levels,” he said.

     

    Said Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN Star Sports (ESS): “We are delighted to further extend our partnership with ECB with whom we have shared a very strong relationship over the past two decades.”

     

    Manu Sawhney

    “This new agreement demonstrates the enormous appetite for cricket worldwide and the global pulling power of a successful England team and a vibrant County game,” Colliers added. Note: in January this year, the ECB had renewed a broadcasting agreement with Sky Sports for four-year cycle of 2014-17 and with BBC Sport for radio rights to broadcast live commentary on international cricket from 2014 to 2019. The ECB’s agreement with Sky Sports also includes an option to extend for a further two years, which would encompass tours by India in 2018 and Australia in 2019. In a separate arrangement, Channel 5 has been signed on to show highlights until at least 2017. The ECB-Sky Sports renewal  is reported to have been inked at around Rs 2200 crore.

     

    With this partnership, ESS continues to be the leading cricket broadcaster with the most comprehensive calendar of premier cricket events covering all formats of the game, including exclusive global telecast rights from the International Cricket Council events, the Champions League Twenty20, as well as major international and domestic events from the Cricket Australia. Adding to this impressive line-up of cricket content is BCCI cricket, which will be showcased in partnership with ESS.

     

    ESPN Star Sports will feature a packed cricket calendar over the next 13 months, showcasing a wide and varied mix of cricket action of over 400 match days starting with the ongoing West Indies’ tour of England  to all the way to ICC Champions Trophy in England in June 2013. In addition to the exciting line-up of international cricket, cricket broadcast will cover over 200 days of vibrant domestic cricket action from India, Australia and England featuring some of the top domestic leagues.

     

    As a part of the agreement with ECB, ESS will broadcast more than 300 days of live International cricket action, including 47 Test Matches, 63 One Day Internationals and 15 Twenty20 games. Major test playing nations will be competing in England, including New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa. Key highlights of this new agreement include India’s next two tours to England in 2014 and 2018 as well as three iconic Ashes series in 2013, 2015 and 2019.

     

    In addition, ESS will broadcast 60 days of ECB’s domestic cricket every year, including the Friends Life t20 competition, the CB40 tournament, the LV County Championship, as well as England Lions, England Under 19s and England Women’s cricket. Specifically for the Indian subcontinent, the exciting cricket action will be available during primetime making it an interesting proposition for fans and advertisers alike, a communiqué added.

     

    Meanwhile, although there have been media reports on the ESPN and Star India joint venture ending, there is no official confirmation or denial of the development.

     

  • Mahesh Ranka lists the pros and cons of watching sport events live at the stadium or on TV

    The Anchor: Mahesh Ranka on 5 reasons for watching sports live in the stadium & on TV

    5 reasons for watching sports live in the stadium as a regular FAN … not the AC/Corporate boxes type

     

    1. Well, the experience

    …. The noise… the atmosphere…. The crowd … the Mexican wave – it is unmatched in many ways. Of course, it depends from sports to sport. Like F1 is all about the fraction of a second “darshan” of the car and the vrooooom, Cricket is about being by your team and screaming your lungs out for them…..

     

    2. Closer to stars

    If luck favours, you end up meeting, clicking a snap, talking to the stars…professing love that otherwise seem so distant. Usually players are open to talk in the stadium (of course after the game), or calling out to them and their acknowledgement of the same… And it’s always something a sports fan cherishes.

     

    3. I Was There

    Key and landmark events become a kind of a HIGH to attend… at the World Cup Finals in 2011 that India won, the 1st Airtel Indian Grand Prix, watching Messi play… et al.

     

    4. Gang of friends

    It usually turns out to be the best way to be with friends… plan out a before and after the game activity. Argue, comment, pass opinions with friends…. It is a part and parcel of any game and being at the action always creates memories that last (for better usually)

     

    5. Get away with anything… well almost

    Where will you have green hair and paint your body with team colours ever … unless of course you are at the stadium… showcase your passion and fanaticism as much as you want….. possibly be shown on national TV…

     

    5 reasons for watching sports on TV, usually at home or a restaurant/pub

     

    1. Never miss action – the way you want

    Technology ensures that you don’t miss any part of the game… replays, analysis, numbers on the screen….. control of noise…. All with you.

     

    2. Comfort

    No sweating, no travelling, no dust….. just be with family and/ or friends… food… drinks … all flows… and yeah, mini contests within the game played… score, player performance, win-lose, goals, and so on….

     

    3. Go social

    ….. Frantic Twitter and FB updates have become a norm for many people and its best done from the comfort of home / pub.

     

    4. Economy

    Watching at home ensures you not just save the time but save money. It is far more economical to watch game at home…. Even in a restaurant…you may end up spending less than going to the stadium.

     

    5. Multi sport mix

    You’d not miss one action for the other…. Many times back to back or parallel events are being showcased that MUST be watched…. The luxury of switching channels, PiP tech, 2 TV’s etc ensure you are always in the know of all (almost) that’s happening.

     

    Mahesh Ranka is Founder & CEO, Indus Sports and Sponsorship

     

  • The government, through the sports ministry, must clamp down on their activities. To begin with, they must bring the BCCI under the RTI regime

    Anil Thakraney: The BCCI has to be controlled

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Constant readers of this blog might remember my post on IPL 5 when the tamasha had just gone underway. And in that post, I had spelt out various reasons why the tournament doesn’t interest me in the least. Now, I know it isn’t very nice to boast ‘I told you so’. And yet, on this occasion, I feel no hesitation in reporting that I had mentioned at the time that I would be mighty surprised if there was no match fixing going on in this cricket ‘fest’. I also recall saying that for the tabloid media, IPL is a goldmine for sensational stories.

     

    Don’t know if the India TV guys read my post or not, but their sting operation has confirmed my fears. Good story. The only little grouse I have with the channel is that maybe they went out with the story a bit too soon. Perhaps if they had been more patient and had cared to dig a little harder, they may have nailed some big fish too.

     

    To be fair, it isn’t entirely BCCI’s fault if some youngsters decide to sell their souls for some extra moolah. Surely the board cannot keep an eye on the activities of every single player. So perhaps we can’t slam only them for this scandal. The real question is this: What will the BCCI do NOW? Their future conduct will determine if they are serious about protecting the credibility of these games. They have to not just impose a life ban on the offenders (if proved guilty), the richie rich cricket board has to draw out powerful anti-corruption mechanisms to make sure the games are run cleanly.

     

    And this is where the problem lies. How can an organization that’s not answerable to anyone, that has been following dodgy practices as standard operating process all these years, be trusted to run clean and transparent games? Which is why I really think the government, through the sports ministry, must clamp down on their activities. To begin with, they must bring the BCCI under the RTI regime. Of course, this is going to be tough because a whole lot of netas are involved with cricket in India, but it simply has to happen. As long as the BCCI is run like a private party, a personal fiefdom of a chosen few, rats will keep crawling under their glitzy carpet.

     

    If the latest shameful expose doesn’t trigger massive changes in the functioning of the BCCI, nothing will. And yes, thank god I chose to stay away from the IPL. Imagine wasting so many man hours each day watching this nautanki, only to discover later that some players have been busy cutting private deals with freelance agents. Bollocks, mate!

     

    * * *

     

    PS: An interesting billboard created by JWT, London. The National Centre for Domestic Violence, through this interactive billboard, asks people to use their cell phones to drag an abusive man away from his partner. Folks can visit a website featured on the billboard, and click on that to remove the man. Good way to directly involve people on the issue of domestic violence. Wonder when India’s hoardings will get a little imaginative!

     

  • As the Indian Premier League begins today, the MSL Group has taken a step back and given the game, the quickie format and the hype around it a good, hard look.

    Brand IPL needs to play innings of its life: MSL Group report

    By A Correspondent

     

    MSL Group’s executive report on the Indian Premier League, its ups and downs and the viability of continuing, concludes that if Brand IPL has to remain a smash hit, it must work its strategy carefully.

     

    When it began, the league made a splash and wowed India with the razzle-dazzle of intensively commercial cricket. Then came the slide downwards with slackening viewer interest leading to falling ratings, followed by the scandal that surrounded allegations of favouritism and money-laundering.

     

    “There’s no denying that Brand IPL is on choppy waters. It will have to steer clear of fresh controversies, reflect on mistakes and rectify the damage as much as it can. Most importantly, it needs to win back the confidence of stakeholders. As Season 5 unfolds from April 4, 2012, the BCCI will need a stronger game plan to rejuvenate the brand,” says the report.

     

    Quoting media sources including reports from MxMIndia, the MSL report mentions instances of prominent sponsors pulling out, questionable ownership patterns, and the big one – runaway costs. “Keeping the wage bill in check and managing revenues will mean the difference between survival and falling by the wayside,” says the report.

     

    Brand IPL has other problems too, such as controversies galore, falling TRPs, and overly high ad rates. Yet, the report concludes, “There must be something right with a sports property that, despite a fall in valuation, is worth more than $3.5 billion. By its second year, the IPL was thought to be the fifth largest sports brand, just smaller than FIFA and bigger than Wimbledon and F1.”

     

    An integrated communications approach, the sheer advertising benefit of being on the IPL bandwagon, the fact that sports sponsorships do work well, and the Indian cricket fan’s conveniently short memory are opportunities in the IPL’s favour, the report remarks.

     

    In fact, while other sports such as hockey and wrestling are trying to emulate cricket’s league success, the fact is that India has been loyal to cricket for far too long, and grabbing those eyeballs will be a “massive challenge”.

     

    The full report can be read here:

    http://www.slideshare.net/mslgroup/indian-premier-league-still-a-smash-hit-for-advertisers

     

    Image courtesy: http://www.facebook.com/IPLSTARS

  • As IPL 5's opening encounter happens tonight, we asked media experts for their forecast

    Will IPL 5 ratings match those of earlier seasons?

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    The Indian cricket team’s performance over the last year has left much to be desired. Having suffered humiliation at the hands of several opponents and having failed to pep up ratings with their cricketing prowess, it was a telling sign that all was not going well for the men in blue who were crowned World Champions just about a year ago. Had such a downfall in form gripped any other country, it would have attracted the wrath of the fans that would’ve boycotted the sport by staying away from the game even if it meant empty stands (in stadiums) or viewership ratings on television taking a plunge.

     

    But that is precisely what is different about India, especially the bond that its people share with their favourite sport – cricket. Lose or win, big score or small score, there will always be a legion of fans who will continue to stand by the sport (and their idols), and be there in good times and in bad. This probably even sums up BCCI’s recent move in selling the broadcast rights of Indian cricket to Star Group for a staggering Rs 3,851 crore for a period from 2012-2018. One can only empathise with the broadcaster who now requires to come with a foolproof strategy that would see it recover revenues and also arouse curiosity levels amongst advertisers. But that is for later. For now, all eyes are on the most-anticipated tournament – IPL, that kicks off from April 4, 2012.

     

    Not wanting to take sides and given the string of ups and downs surrounding cricket in the recent past, experts are opting to play it safe and are predicting viewership ratings to be at par or slightly lower than the past year. In a sense, this augurs well for the wellbeing and popularity of the sport given the uprising it has faced in the recent past particularly with brands many of whom have opted to stay away from the event given the high costs being quoted for a 10-second ad. Also, the fact that a few franchise owners were left in the lurch awaiting divine intervention from the BCCI and with big players not being picked up by stake owners during the bidding process didn’t help solve matters either. And so while an average rating of 3.5 was what IPL managed to throw up in its fourth season, experts predict a somewhat similar rating for the fifth instalment too.

     

    Avg. Viewership of all IPL Seasons
    Tournament Number of Matches Avg. TVR
    IPL Season 1 59 4.81
    IPL Season 2 59 4.17
    IPL Season 3 60 4.65
    IPL Season 4 74 3.5

     

     

    Viewership of first match of all IPL Seasons
    Tournament First Match TVR
    IPL Season 1 L/T DLF IPL T20 KKR/RCB-BG 7.19
    IPL Season 2 L/T DLF IPL2 T20 MI/CSK-CT 5.09
    IPL Season 3 L/T DLF IPL3 T20 KKR/DC-NM 5.86
    IPL Season 4 L/T DLF IPL4 T20 CSK/KKR-CH 7.14

    (Source: TAM Peoplemeter System / Market: All India / TG: CS 4+)

    * In IPL 1 one match was abandoned due to rain

    * In IPL 2 two matches were abandoned due to rain

    * In IPL 4 one match was abandoned due to rain

     

    According to data from TAM Sports for season 4, the inaugural match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders had notched up a 7.14 TVR in the all India market for CS4+ (refer table for data). The number was much higher than what the previous seasons had managed to notch up. But despite the number of matches being increased to 74, the tournament managed an average TVR of 3.5. For season 5, while the tournament average is touted to stay the same the opening day numbers are estimated to be below par than the previous year. Asserts Anita Nayyar, CEO India & South Asia at Havas Media: “There is some commonality in the average ratings that season 5 is expected to throw up from the previous year but where for the opening day numbers are concerned, it could fetch a TVR of 5 or so.” Elaborating on why the numbers would not be as high as the previous years she said, “If you see, there has been an overdose of cricket in the past one year leading it to be a cricket-heavy year for team India. This has resulted in some form of fatigue setting in amongst the masses. The fact that a host of advertisers have opted to stay away from the event this year further signals the plight of the event in the days to come. But one could look forward to the event garnering an average rating of 3-3.5.”

     

    Echoing a similar sentiment, Nandini Dias, COO – Lodestar UM said that this year could be one of the bad years for the event where ratings are concerned. “The average ratings have been slipping over the years and would hover around the 3-3.5 mark this year. But what is more concerning this year is the way the advertisers have been treated despite trends suggesting an expected downfall in ratings. With such exorbitant rates, most advertisers have preferred to stay away from the event.” On the opening day numbers to be expected from the event, Dias said, “The buzz around the event this year has been surprisingly low and much of this may have to do with India’s dismal performance in the year gone by. I expect lower opening day numbers compared to last year given the low decibels around the event. Even the sale of tickets is low-profile with many preferring to stay away from making a purchase.”

     

    So while a dip in numbers is what is forecast, it would be interesting to see how the broadcasters play up the viewership numbers game as there is a slight change in the opening day schedule of the event. While in previous years, the opening ceremony was followed by a match on the same day, this year the organizers have split the two for separate days. Explains Jai Lala, Principal Partner – The Exchange, Mindshare: “Last year and in the previous years the opening ceremony was followed by a match being played on the same day and the number as such was high but this year there would be a difference in the numbers as the opening ceremony and the match have been separated from each other. So just the ratings from the opening day of the match per se, I would say it would be marginally low but as suggested that is due to the splitting of events. We’ll have to watch how the broadcaster plays up the numbers.” In fact according to Lala, “Season 5 may have an upper hand where the average ratings are concerned as one, there was no World Cup like last year that resulted in fatigue amongst viewers and also the fact that a lot of teams were in a sense rehashed last year resulting in small drop in ratings. But that shouldn’t be the case this time around; hopefully the ratings could be better than what was last year.”

     

    Preferring to stay optimistic, Neelkamal Sharma, COO – Buying of Madison Media Group is hopeful of the event managing a good opening in terms of ratings. And his supposition stems from the fact that the “general public’s mood being low due to economic slowdown/ scams/inflation etc hence they may look forward to watch something more entertaining and something that will drive away their attention from regular news.” As for the average numbers per se, he expects the numbers to be somewhat similar to last year +/-5-10 per cent.

     

    Having faced the heat last year for reporting a drop in viewership numbers that was backed by an unwarranted hike in ad rates, MSM would probably have to come up with some magic formula that would see them gain their way into the hearts of the viewers and naysayers too. It may help that the reach numbers for the tournament are estimated to be 8-10 per cent higher than last year due to rise in C&S households but the question is: will the viewer cling on to see the event complete the journey in its entirety or will he (or she) quit midway resulting in depleting numbers than previous years? The ball, for now, is in MSM’s court.

     

    Image courtesy http://www.facebook.com/IPLSTARS

  • Star India's winning the rights to broadcast Indian cricket for six years is a significant development in the Indian sports arena. Star will also have the rights for internet and mobile, besides TV.

    Starry starry rights from BCCI

    By Rishi Vora

     

    Star India’s winning the rights to broadcast Indian cricket for six years – from 2012 to 2018 – is a significant development in the Indian sports arena where cricket is the only celebrated sport, and the one that attracts the maximum moolah.

     

    Though Star has won the rights much to the joy of the senior management team, the fact is that it has come at a staggering cost of Rs 3,851 crore for 96 matches.

     

    What this means is – for every single match played in India till 2018, Star will pay BCCI Rs 40 crore as part of the contract. The contract also says that Star will also have the rights for internet and mobile besides TV.

     

    Mr Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India said in a prepared statement, “BCCI is a great property and we are overjoyed to have an opportunity to develop it further. It was decided amongst ESPN Star Sports, ESPN and Star that Star would bid for the rights and if Star were to win the rights it would be exploited in collaboration with ESS.”

     

    So while it is great news for Star India for it augments its position as a network, there are some murmurs within the industry on whether it is a viable deal as far as profitability is concerned, especially when Indian cricket has seen one of its worst ever phases of late.

     

    A broadcaster of a sports channel who requested anonymity said, “It’s a move from Star to dissuade MSM from its cricketing interests. MSM already have the Indian Premier League which is one of India’s biggest properties, so the BCCI rights would have put them in a superior position in the industry. Hence it’s a setback of sorts for them, especially when they’ve been in the news on launching a sports channel.”

     

    He further said, “The price Star is paying is on the higher side. But it’s not very surprising that they’ve won it for the price they have, as they have the strength and the clout to pull off a high-value deal such as this one.” MSM came second to Star with a bid of Rs 3,700 crore.

     

    T Gangadhar, Managing Director, MEC India commented on the development: “Sports is a rights-driven genre and channels compete on that basis. As faras exploiting rights is concerned, Star India has announced they will collaborate with ESPN-Star Sports, an already established player. To that extent, life is as usual. However, going by the size of the winning bid, it is clear that Star is betting big on digitisation and increasing subscription revenue therefrom.”

     

    With the BCCI deal, ESS has now become a significant player in Cricket. They’re the official broadcasters of ICC matches, plus Australian and England cricket. Ten Cricket – the channel from the Zee stable airs matches played in South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies.

     

    Neo banked on World Series Hockey after having lost the rights for Indian Cricket. They however continue to own Bangladesh rights – the Asia Cup which was recently concluded was aired on Neo Cricket.

     

    Neelkamal Sharma, COO – Buying, Madison Media Group said, “For sports as well as for Star, it is really a big news – Star TV acquiring the rights for Indian Cricket for next six years. Since rights are with Star TV and not ESS, there could possibly be some more development on the way forward and time will tell what will those developments be.

     

    He further added, “There will be some consolidation of sports companies in the near future to leverage this opportunity. I will not be surprised if Star becomes a dominant player in sports as and fiction”

     

    According to Mr Mahesh Ranka, it will take some time before the investments could be recovered. “I can say that by the end of six years, Star will make money out of this deal on the back of subscription plus advertising revenues. It’s just not the Indian market. There are a lot of viewers who follow Indian cricket in other countries. Plus they have the mobile and the internet rights too. So it seems to me that it’s a good win for Star.”

     

    On what it means to other players in the sporting arena, Mr Ranka said, “Sadly cricket is the biggest game in India and quite clearly, other players such as Neo and Ten Sports would face a bit of a setback. They’ll survive, but that’s not the big question. The big question is whether they will be able to grow and build from where they’re now.”

     

    Advertising revenue may not be much in the first few years, and experts predict price points to range from 2 lakh to 3 lakh per 10-second spot. Profitability will be an issue.

     

    Star Network is poised to gain more strength. But will the Star shine yet again?

     

  • Following the announcement of Micromax bagging the title sponsorship of the Asia Cup 2012, leading power brands Standard Chartered, Jaypee Cements, Daikin, Indian Oil and Bangladesh Tourism have signed up as the five official partners.

    Micromax Asia Cup 2012 sponsor family grows

    By A Correspondent

     

    Following the announcement of Micromax bagging the title sponsorship of the Asia Cup 2012, leading power brands like Standard Chartered, Jaypee Cements, Daikin, Indian Oil and Bangladesh Tourism have signed up as the five official partners.

     

    Yannick Colaco, COO Nimbus Sport said, “I am delighted to announce a stellar sponsor family for the Micromax Asia Cup 2012. There is no doubt that this is by far the biggest ODI tournament this year. All our commercial partners see tremendous value in associating with the blockbuster that will see the World Cup rivalry among India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka resume once again.”

     

    Nimbus Sport has signed a host of international distribution deals to maximize global reach. The various distribution partners are:

     

     

    No Partners Region
    1 Neo Cricket Indian Sub Continent, US, Canada, UAE, Singapore, North Africa, Philippines & Hong Kong
    2 Willow TV US & Canada
    3 Zee UK & Europe
    4 Super Sports South Africa
    5 PTC Pakistan
    6 BTV Bangladesh
    7 Carlton Sri Lanka
    8 Setanta Australia Australia
  • Slowing excitement levels, consumer fatigue, and Indian players' performances… some of the reasons IPL needs to look sharp, feels Ashish Bhasin.

    4 reasons why IPL ratings & revenue won’t be better this year

    By Ashish Bhasin

     

    #1 There has been an overdose of cricket. Immediately after the World Cup last year, which was like a climax, we had the IPL and subsequent to that we had nearly continuous cricket, causing some amount of fatigue in consumers.

     

    #2 Viewership and interest in cricket in India is directly proportionate to the performance of the Indian cricket team. Given the disastrous tour of England, followed by a similarly disastrous tour of Australia, the Indian cricket team’s performance perhaps is at its lowest in the past several years and I feel this will impact cricket in general. Even though IPL is not directly an Indian team tournament, most of the players involved are in the IPL and hence the overall interest gets impacted.

     

    #3 Rightly or wrongly, I think the best days of the IPL were when Lalit Modi was running it because of the hype and excitement he was able to create around it. Subsequent to that the journey has only been downhill for IPL. Hence I feel that will continue for a while, until something new is done to reinvent this tournament and regenerate interest.

     

    #4 Perhaps, because of some of the reasons given above, the Indian consumer has started acknowledging that other sports also exist in the world, like F1, hockey, wrestling and so on. As these sports catch on, IPL will be affected.

     

    Ashish Bhasin is the Chairman India & CEO South East Asia – Aegis Media.

     

  • Ramanujam Sridhar remembers The Wall, and what stood beyond it as we replay the various Amul ads on the former India skipper

    Amul ads on Rahul Dravid + Essay by R Sridhar

    By Ramanujam Sridhar

     

    David Ogilvy the advertising legend wanted that rare breed for his advertising agency “gentlemen with brains”. The greatest gentleman that ever trod the cricket field – Rahul Dravid called it quits from all forms of cricket at a farewell press conference at Bangalore on Friday. Even as encomiums pour in from all and sundry from different parts of the world, I thought I would write a few words about Dravid the cricketer and the person. His deeds on the cricket field have been well recorded. The nickname “the wall” was earned after years of playing some of the finest bowlers in the world in every cricketing country in the world and even as Indians earned the justifiable nickname of “lions at home and lambs abroad” Rahul Dravid stood head and shoulders above his more celebrated and written about colleagues – as he simply batted better abroad. More than his batting was his selfless attitude of team first, something that individual record obsessed Indians never fully understood. When he first declared the Indian innings with a desire to win a cricket match when Sachin was short of his century (though he was truly dawdling at the crease), Dravid copped a lot of criticism. But he soldiered on – always taken for granted, never truly appreciated to the extent that he should have been.

     

    For team balance he opened the batting though he was arguably India’s greatest number three ever. He kept wickets so that the team could accommodate another batsman. He shuffled himself in the batting order when he was captain when quicker runs were required. He never “whined to the press” when the BCCI dumped him from the captaincy. He was upset when he was recalled to the one day side a few years after being dropped and was constrained to announce his retirement. A lesser mortal might have felt used by Indian cricket and justifiably so. But the great gentleman and the wonderful cricketer he was, he took everything on his chin.

     

    A master who is still a student of the game

    Rahul Dravid is a great role model for young cricketers. He usually was the first person to enter the nets and the last to leave it. In today’s world of cricketers who think they are God the moment they get an IPL contract, he has been a model of modesty despite his phenomenal achievements. Success rested lightly on his broad shoulders and his sense of humor enabled him to keep things in perspective. When Shane Warne announced to the world that he had discovered a chink in his armour, Rahul just smiled and said “Warney is upto his usual tricks”. The next day he smashed him all over the park in his own quietly efficient way. He did a few endorsements too because any brand which was honest, reliable and something that would not let you down fitted the man to a “t”. He was a keen student of the game and would constantly be found with a book in his arm, something that is rare in a world which appreciates physical prowess more than the mental one.

     

    The words of the Walter Scott poem “unwept, unhonoured and unsung” come to mind as a possible epitaph to Rahul Dravid. While that has been the truth so far, I think history will recognize the value of the man and the cricketer. I will miss him on the field and hope to meet him more often now that he will not be living off suitcases and be in Bengaluru, the city that both of us belong to.

     

    Ramanujam Sridhar is the CEO of brand-comm and a Director of Custommerce, an organization committed to promoting customer service in the country.

     

    Read his blog at http://www.ramanujamsridhar.com for more articles, polls and to sign up for our mailing list.

     

    You can remain in touch with him on Facebook: facebook.com/RamanujamSridhar & Twitter: twitter.com/RamanujamSri

     

    LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/SridharRamanujam