MxMIndia

Tag: SONY ESPN

  • Launches the new VIVO IPL marketing campaign “10 saal aapke naam” on a celebratory note

    Sony Pictures pays tributes to fans in the tenth season of VIVO IPL

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony Max, Sony Six and SONY ESPN, the official television broadcasters of the Indian Premiere League (VIVO IPL) have unveiled a new campaign titled “10 saal aapke naam” to coincide with the tenth edition of the tournament and the network’s association with it.

     

    The series of six ad films with the key message “10 saal aapke naam” encapsulate the fervor and madness of the fans across gender, generations and geographies.

     

    The creative agency continues to be DDB Mudra and the films have been directed by Hemant Bhandari of Chrome Pictures Media. For the anthem the broadcaster has roped in music composer duo, Salim-Sulaiman and singer Benny Dayal.

     

    Said Neeraj Vyas, Senior EVP & Business Head, Sony Max cluster at SPN: “Over the last nine years we have seen the tournament grow in terms of stature, viewership and the buzz that it creates and hence it was only logical to make the tenth year a grand celebration. The marketing campaign borrows from real life insights on how viewers engage and involve themselves with the game. We believe that the fans are instrumental in making this tournament the mega blockbuster that it is and that is why this year’s campaign is an ode to the Vivo IPL Fan”.

     

  • Fights to be broadcast on SONY ESPN and SONY ESPN HD channels

    Sony Pictures acquires onair and digital broadcast rights of Super Fight League

    By A Correspondent

     

    India’s first mixed martial arts promotion, the Super Fight League –which is promoted by British business magnate and sports enthusiast Bill Dosanjh and British professional boxing sensation and two-time world champion Amir Khan announced Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) as the official broadcast partner for the first ever MMA league to be hosted in India January 20 to February 25, 2017.

     

    The franchisee based league that will feature eight teams, being organised in association with the All India Martial Arts Association (AIMMAA). SPN also has the broadcast rights for the league across Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives.

     

    Said Bill Dosanjh, CEO and Principal Founder, Super Fight League: “Sony ESPN is the channel that is synonymous for bringing MMA to the television sets of the Indian audience. We at Super Fight League are really excited about Sony Pictures Networks India coming on board as the broadcast partners for the inaugural edition of the league. Having Sony as the broadcast partner will help us in our endeavor to reach the maximum variety of audience and make Super Fight League a household name for MMA in India.”

     

    Added Rajesh Kaul, President, Distribution and Sports Business, Sony Pictures Network: “Having been a forerunner in popularizing MMA, the sports cluster of Sony Pictures Networks India is the premier destination for viewing mixed martial arts. We are pleased to announce the expansion of our MMA portfolio with the addition of the Super Fight League which is India’s first mixed martial arts league on our network.”

     

  • The channels will host its first ever official UFC fight screening in Mumbai

    Sony ESPN channels to telecast UFC 196 in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    SONY ESPN channels, the latest addition to Sony’s sports cluster, will broadcast the highly anticipated UFC 196, live and exclusive, on 6th March 2016, at 0830 Hrs on SONY ESPN and SONY ESPN HD.

     

    Witnessing UFC’s consistent viewership in the market, SONY ESPN is taking a step forward in growing the sport’s popularity and has launched an MMA Fan Club called The Octagon. The Octagon was formed for people who simply love MMA and will create unique community experiences for fans. The Octagon’s first fan initiative is hosting a special breakfast screening of UFC 196, live at the Hard Rock Café. SONY ESPN is conducting an on air and social media contest for viewers who can win an exclusive opportunity to be a part of The Octagon experience.

     

    The fight card will be headlined by Featherweight Champion, Conor McGregor who will take on lightweight contender Nate Diaz in the highly anticipated match-up. McGregor’s popularity grew exponentially after he defeated Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win the Featherweight title in UFC 194. He had hoped to win the lightweight belt simultaneously before Dos Anjos pulled out, citing an injury. His new opponent for UFC 196, Nate Diaz, whose brash style is expected to make a strong draw, has already grabbed eyeballs from a lot of MMA fans worldwide.

     

    Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Holly Holm will put her title on the line against No. 2 Miesha Tate in the co-main event. This will be Holly Holm’s first title defence after she dethroned former champion, Ronda Rousey in November. Tate’s recent fight was a one-sided win over Jessica Eye, with her striking technique and is expected to put up a tough show against Holm in the upcoming fight. As a result, UFC 196 could prove to be a colossal of an event.

     

    The UFC 196 fight card live screening will be taking place on March 6, 2016, at 0800 Hrs at the: Hard Rock Café, near Fun Cinema Lane, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri West, Mumbai – 400053. The screening is also open to walk in consumers who would like to be a part of the community experience.

     

  • In what's essentially a rights-driven game, the launch of Sony ESPN's SD and HD channels next week is under doubt

    Will Sony ESPN make a dent?

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    UEFA Euro 2016, 2018 FIFA World Cup La Liga BBVA, Serie A TIM, Emirates FA Cup, UEFA European Qualifiers for 2018 WC, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2016, Australian Open, Hopman Cup, Mubadala World Tennis Championship, Champions Tennis League, UFC, NFL, ATP 1000, ATP 500, ATP 250 and ATP World Tour Finals… what do all these sports events mean to you? Exciting? Or unappetising?

     

    Well, that’s the programming line-up on Sony ESPN channels that was unveiled to the media yesterday when Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), in collaboration with ESPN, announced the launch of its two new channels, SONY ESPN and SONY ESPN HD, set to go live next week – January 17, to be precise. With this, SPN has expanded its sports cluster to four channels – Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD, Sony SIX and Sony Six HD, thereby widening its footprint in sports entertainment in India and the sub-continent. Meanwhile, Sony Kix has been dispensed with.

     

    So will the entry of ESPN make a dent in the market? Well, for Sony Pictures Network which is experiencing some rough weather in entertainment, it surely increases bragging rights. But, remember, sports is all about another kind of rights. While ESPN is a huge brand, just being a well-known name doesn’t mean much. And even a Baba Ramdev can start a channel if he has the monies and can manage to comply with all the eligibility requirements, and by ideally buying an old sports channel.

     

    The various tournaments Sony ESPN has are good, but are they the kind which will NOT kill competition. The Australian Open timings aren’t really India-friendly, nowhere like Wimbledon and the French Open. The FIFA World Cup is two years away.

     

    There’s only the IPL that Sony has and none of the other key ICC tournaments are with the group. Even EPL and the Formula 1 encounters aren’t in the kitty.

     

    There is no Golf to talk about and UEFA Euro 2016 is the only one with a huge draw this year. Other than the IPL of course, but that’s already being aired on Sony Max and Sony Six and their respective HD versions. It’s possible though that some IPL encounters may well air on Sony ESPN.

     

    Meanwhile, the launch of these new channels represents the first steps in the collaboration between SPN and ESPN to power content, across both, the television and digital platforms.

     

    The benefit will be from SPN’s powerful existing portfolio of sports and content, plus ESPN’s leadership position in sports and more than 1000 hours of programming per year from its portfolio of sports rights, original programming, award-winning sports documentaries and studio programmes.

     

    Later this year, the collaboration between SPN and ESPN will also see the launch of a new multisport digital website and app that will complement the SONY ESPN channels, as well as the existing leadership of ESPNcricinfo and Sony LIV’s digital offerings.

     

    Said NP Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Sony Pictures Networks India: “As a network, SPN is focused on becoming the first choice in television and digital entertainment. Our collaboration with ESPN is a targeted step in that direction as it helps us ink another milestone in our growth trajectory. Not only that, the launch of the SONY  ESPN cluster of channels validates our intent to provide stylized, high-quality and insightful international sporting content to viewers in India and across the Indian sub-continent.”

     

    Added Prasana Krishnan, EVP & Business Head, Sports Cluster, Sony Pictures Networks: “ESPN has always had a strong connect with Indian audiences. Our partnership with ESPN will further strengthen our Sports bouquet with four channels SONY ESPN, SONY ESPN HD, Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD. Our programming line-up starts with the Australian Open followed by marquee football properties like Liga BBVA, Serie A TIM and FA CUP leading to UEFA EURO 2016 will give every sports fan a reason to celebrate our extensive offering clubbed with analysis presented by expert panelists.”

     

    Said Mike Morrison, Vice President & General Manager, ESPN Asia Pacific: “For more than 35 years, ESPN has been known for its quality, personality and authority. The launch of these channels, and the complimentary digital properties in the months ahead, creates a world-class multi-media stage on which the combined expertise and resources of our two companies can deliver amazing content and products to Indian fans.”