According to R K Singh, managing director, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, 70 to 80 per cent of the ad revenues for the two channels currently come from cricket and cricket-based programmes. This is despite the fact that the two channels offer world class programmes in sports like soccer, basket ball, and tennis, and which aggregate close to 50 per cent of their air time, he added.

The channels are currently attempting to attract advertisers, especially those with large exposure, to other sports by offering them a World Cup package wherein advertising slots would be given during the match, in the run-up to the World Cup through the various cricketing programmes shown by the channels--and also for the coverage of other sporting events such as tennis, soccer, golf etc.

Singh alsoclarified that the move to draw advertisers to other sports has been an on-going process as the revenues are heavily skewed in favour of cricket in the sub-continent. The channels have drawn up an exhaustive coverage of the World Cup aggregating 900 hours. Apart from the direct coverage of the matches, as many as 11 programmes will be telecast leading to the event.

Singh expects total ad revenue from the World Cup to touch about Rs 200 crore and the television medium would be garnering about 60 to 70 per cent of it, he added. He, however, refused to put a figure on ESPN-Star Sports share in it.

Singh also hoped that the World Cup would bring about an increase in the subscriber base of the channels. As against the normal growth of 25 per cent every year, this year is likely to witness a 30 per cent growth. He said that there was no move to increase the pay charges. He also clarified that the perception that ESPN increases the charges just prior to a big cricketing event was incorrect. The channel, hesaid, was increasing the charges only on a yearly basis. The next increase would come about only in September 1999.