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: Airtel Champions League T20 has created a buzz around sports lovers during the festive season. From October 8, this event is being telecast in over 160 countries in 11 languages, and will go on till October 23. ESPN, its broadcaster, says that this cricket acquisition will change the way the game is produced, sold, distributed and consumed so far. Manu Sawhney, managing director, ESPN Star Sports, talks about the importance of cricket as sport, Champions League and the significance of sports marketing in India, in an interview with FE’s Priyanka Akhouri. Excerpts:
How will the marketing acquisition rights of the Champions League impact ESPN?
Our investment in content continues to be in a manner that truly reflects its economic value to our business and which allows us to present a sound proposition to our partners and serve our sports fans across the region. Airtel CL T20, as a product, has all the necessary ingredients of a blockbuster property, which we believe will change the way the game of cricket is produced, sold, distributed and consumed so far. In terms of rights, ACL T20 is the only property across the globe with all commercial rights and that too for a period of 10 years, which allows opportunities to build it and fully realise the immense business value around it. The acquisition of the Airtel CL T20 is done in a future-oriented approach backed by a solid business plan, ensuring our profitability and long-term growth. The deal with Airtel for the sponsorship of the event is worth Rs 170 crore.
How do you plan to get higher TRPs in order to compete with existing sports channels?
We continue to be driven by a strategy that is based on creating a robust line-up of top quality international cricket with a mix of various key formats of the game, as well as premium sports around the world. Our investment in the game of cricket today is by far the largest in the world. The viewer’s appetite for cricket remains as strong as ever. We are also working diligently with our advertisers to develop creative, innovative and customised marketing solutions for their brands. We have been very successful in generating positive and effective solutions for our clients. In addition, we have some of the other sports properties from around the world on our channels in the Indian subcontinent, such as football 2010 FIFA World Cup, motor-racing...
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