New Delhi, Apr 11 () A hugely popular footballer in his home state of Kerala, India and Jamshedpur FC winger C S Vineeth has joined a government helpline centre there to advice people on how to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Vineeth, who has played for the national team and was a part of Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League 2019-20, was contacted by the Kerala Sports Council about the helpline in Kannur and he immediately jumped into the thick of things. "After I came back here (in Kerala), I got a call from the Kerala Sports Council, asking whether I would like to help with the COVID-19 helpline, so I joined in," Vineeth said. "Whatever little I could do to help during an emergency," he said in an All India Football Federation release. The 31-year-old, who is adored by fans in Kerala, said he intends to continue working at the helpline centre till the end of the lockdown. He began working at the centre on March 28. "The plan is that we would continue this help-line till the dangers of the Coronavirus are averted, and the lockdown comes to an end. The situation in Kerala is much-improved now, of course," the crafty winger said. Though Vineeth and his co-workers at the helpline centre were not directly in touch with people, they are taking all the precautions. "Of course, we are following the guidelines prescribed by the Government, while commuting to and from the call-centre," said Vineeth. "We are provided with gloves, masks, and sanitisers, which we use quite often. But those of us working here are not exactly exposed. We all just go home, and come here." The Jamshedpur FC attacker feels that the curve has indeed flattened in Kerala, with the number of cases going down over time. The number of calls that he has been getting have also decreased, since the time he started working at the centre. "Before, we used to get over 150 calls per day. Now, that number has gone down a lot. The number of cases are also going down in the state. We just need to stay strong and wade through these troubled times," Vineeth said. "I would like to urge everyone to stay at home and follow the government's guidelines. It's a good time to spend with your family. Stay safe people, and take care." PDS PDS AHAH

India footballer Vineeth joins COVID-19 helpline centre in Kerala

<ul><li>The constraints of 2020 encouraged brands to be more creative. </li><li> In 2020, Twitter saw more people using the service than ever before and monetizable daily active users growing 29% year-over-year to 187 million driven by global conversation around current events and product improvements. </li><li>Here is a look back at 2020 and a few <keyword id="862159" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Best-tweets">best tweets</keyword>. </li></ul>Twitter is a reflection of what’s happening in the world and what people are talking about. Over time brands across categories have leveraged Twitter’s ad offerings and influence to strengthen their presence among audiences. This year, as businesses pivoted to digital-first campaigns, Twitter emerged as a partner to launch something new and to connect consumers with what’s happening. The constraints of 2020 encouraged brands to be more creative, thoughtful and personal, resulting in campaigns that warmed the heart and left consumers wanting more. As we <keyword id="10505807" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="wrap-up-2020">wrap up 2020</keyword>, let’s look back at some brands and campaigns that stood out and made a difference: Best brand for speaking out and standing up: <keyword id="6355975" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="axis-bank">Axis Bank</keyword> While nearly every industry was drastically impacted in 2020, the worst-hit were local vendors and small businesses, with many being forced to the brink. Axis Bank took up this important concern and asked people to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReverseTheKhata?src=hashtag_click">#ReverseTheKhata</a>, referencing the bond between customers and their corner shop through the maintenance of a ‘khata’. The khata is based on the trust and loyalty shared between the two parties. The campaign showed us different moments on the relationship between customers and small businesses, projecting the various emotions that bubble up from the simple statement ‘Khate mein likh do’, urging people to reverse roles and support vendors who have continued to serve us while keeping our accounts. The campaign used a clever and relatable insight, connecting with its audience in an authentic way making it the best brand for speaking out and standing up. <div type="twitter" handle="AxisBank" handlename="Axis Bank" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1105444963142098945/el9N1DVr_normal.png" favoritecount="973" retweetcount="174" status="Small businesses have always supported us with credit transactions and kept their khatas open for us. Now it’s our… https://t.co/uM6dOejDHo" createdat="1592034075000" id="1271709200398249985"></div> Best #OnlyOnTwitter campaign: Netflix India We love to watch our favourite series and films on Netflix and look for the best recommendations, including on Twitter. Netflix India built on this insight and launched<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetflixMatchmaker?src=hashtag_click"> #NetflixMatchmaker</a>. This innovation allowed a customised bank of emojis to serve fans a personalised experience on Twitter, helping them decide what to watch. So, how does it work? When someone tweets an emoji with the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetflixMatchmaker?src=hashtag_click">#NetflixMatchmaker</a>, they are rewarded with a content recommendation tied to that specific emoji. For example, tweeting a gift emoji might send a recommendation for a holiday movie. Netflix knew there would be an ongoing demand for recommendations, so<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetflixMatchmaker?src=hashtag_click"> #NetflixMatchmaker</a> pops up every weekend to help people match their mood to what they could enjoy watching on Netflix. This is why they had the best #OnlyOnTwitter campaign this year. <div type="twitter" handle="NetflixIndia" handlename="Netflix India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1072124554808422401/s8K84jEW_normal.jpg" favoritecount="11351" retweetcount="869" status="Looking for some suggestions that s̶l̶e̶i̶g̶h̶ slay? 🎅Tweet with the options below and #NetflixMatchMaker will send a film your way!" createdat="1608308115000" id="1339967470887608320"></div> Best brand that brought the stadium to the phone: Star Sports To make up for the lack of on-ground sports experiences, Star Sports turned to Twitter to bring fans closer to all the sporting action, especially on two key occasions - the Indian Super League and the Indian Premier League. During the Indian Super League’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrueLove?src=hashtag_click">#TrueLove</a> campaign on Twitter, Star Sports invited football fans to send in Tweets with messages for their favourite footballers. At the trophy-lifting ceremony of what was a thrilling finale between ATK FC and Chennaiyin FC, these love-filled Tweets presented in a physical form as Twitter-confetti and were showered upon the winning team covering them with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrueLove?src=hashtag_click">#TrueLove</a> for this one-of-a-kind activation. <div type="twitter" handle="StarFootball" handlename="Star Sports Football" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/875393235354439680/qWkpDQnh_normal.jpg" favoritecount="44" retweetcount="3" status="Do you have a message for your favourite #HeroISL team in the Final?Tweet your wishes to the players using… https://t.co/bdTcDVUpQ1" createdat="1584106195000" id="1238457261397176320"></div> For the Indian Premier League, Star Sports cued people in for the opening match through reminders on Twitter, activated by the Heart-To-Remind functionality. The brand also changed their Twitter username to ‘Star Sports at 7:30 PM’ to mark the time slot as the viewing time for the IPL. <div type="twitter" handle="StarSportsIndia" handlename="Star Sports" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/875393698195886080/vp03Mgqk_normal.jpg" favoritecount="75740" retweetcount="5788" status="#Dream11IPL 2020 begins with MI v CSK at 7:30 PM! 🏏 ❤️ this tweet and we'll give you a reminder when the match st… https://t.co/qLIA0nN6mQ" createdat="1600259818000" id="1306210468189540355"></div> Their consistent usage of Twitter to connect fans to the games they love made Star Sports the brand that brought the stadium to the phone. Best campaign celebrating fandom: Samsung India for #GalaxyS20PlusBTS Edition While launching the #GalaxyS20PlusBTS edition, Samsung routed its campaign towards the massive BTS fandom on Twitter. The brand launched a custom BTS quiz to engage with the K-pop band’s ARMY on the service who could put their love to the test and even stand to win a pair of the Galaxy Buds+ BTS edition. This carefully targeted campaign not only reached its audience but also had them glued to their Twitter timelines through a series of Promoted Tweets with creatives featuring various members of the band. The BTS edition campaign was part of a sustained promotion plan for the S20+, with the global launch event achieving millions of views worldwide. Samsung India’s clever use of Twitter to connect with their consumers made it the campaign that best celebrated fans. <div type="twitter" handle="SamsungIndia" handlename="Samsung India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1342807518246912002/rIUpN6Dg_normal.png" favoritecount="46564" retweetcount="4658" status="Galaxy &amp; BTS unite! Introducing the exclusive #GalaxyS20PlusBTS Edition in stunning Haze Purple colour. Take a fun… https://t.co/AC0N2yFzTo" createdat="1595403000000" id="1285839495841996805"></div> Best brand connection to the couch: Amazon Prime Video for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mirzapur2?src=hashtag_click">#Mirzapur2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mirzapur2?src=hashtag_click">#Mirzapur2</a> hype on Twitter was real, evidenced by the many Tweets begging Prime Video for the second season. As the OTT service finally prepared to premier the series, it decided to count down to the launch along with eager fans, and host a watch party to finally answer everyone’s wishes and get people watching (and reacting) together. Through a carousel events page, the brand curated a timeline of all conversations around <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mirzapur2?src=hashtag_click">#Mirzapur2</a> and also rolled out exclusive content leading up to the big day. A ‘Mirzapur throne’ emoji was also launched to fuel excitement. <div type="twitter" handle="PrimeVideoIN" handlename="amazon prime video IN" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1198899881940672513/-NEvhd4u_normal.jpg" favoritecount="5314" retweetcount="491" status="Bhaukaal is nearing and we want you to be a part of it! Date: October 22Time: 11:30pm onwardsIske liye humare… https://t.co/rEPhDx35DF" createdat="1603288800000" id="1318914940145520640"></div> But that was not all, following the watch party, the show’s characters were leveraged to engage the audience via a personality test pairing people with their favourite <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mirzapur?src=hashtag_click">#Mirzapur</a> characters when engaged with the Tweet. Their thoughtful end-to-end integration and celebration of such a popular show earned them the title of best brand connecting all of us to our couch. <div type="twitter" handle="PrimeVideoIN" handlename="amazon prime video IN" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1198899881940672513/-NEvhd4u_normal.jpg" favoritecount="13211" retweetcount="355" status="If Twitter was #Mirzapur, which character would you be? Go ahead and click on 'Try Now' to find out!" createdat="1605794371000" id="1329424067217133568"></div> Best brand for pivoting when it counts: Uber India for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MoveWhatMatters?src=hashtag_click">#MoveWhatMatters</a> At a time when everyone was being encouraged to stay put, Uber India, a brand that is built on doing the opposite, responded in just the right way. Playing off their slogan to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MoveForward?src=hashtag_click">#MoveForward</a>, they suggested we <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MoveWhatMatters?src=hashtag_click">#MoveWhatMatters</a>. The brand echoed what we were hearing from public health authorities, asking people to stay home and stay safe, while their drivers continued to serve India’s essential workers. Moreover, the brand also urged people to come out in support of their driver-partners who had also been impacted by the pandemic and set up the Uber Care Driver Fund. In a time when people needed to be assured of their safety, Uber India made it clear that it was a priority. <div type="twitter" handle="Uber_India" handlename="Uber India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1145570081725800448/2XcVUx6q_normal.png" favoritecount="30" retweetcount="8" status="Over 75,000 families have already been reached out to, thanks to your contributions to the Uber Care Driver Fund. O… https://t.co/rSHUz4zGAK" createdat="1588342198000" id="1256224347334889473"></div> Best virtual launch: Hyundai India for the TUCSON launch with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheNextDimension?src=hashtag_click">#TheNextDimension</a> Hyundai India moved ahead and launched its new TUCSON via a magnificent (virtual) event called <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheNextDimension?src=hashtag_click">#TheNextDimension</a>. Hyundai adopted a three-phased strategy for the launch; it acquired an active viewership through the Heart-To-Remind functionality, which reminded people to tune-in for the launch; it took over the service’s premium real estate with a Promoted Trend and livestream to maximise visibility, and to wrap up the launch it Tweeted highlight videos from the event which were injected into people’s timelines via Promoted Tweets, making sure nobody missed the action. Despite not taking place on-ground, this campaign by Hyundai proved that launches can be as successful virtually. The live event recorded over 1 million views in the first 12 hours itself, making it a winner in the best virtual launch category. <div type="twitter" handle="HyundaiIndia" handlename="Hyundai India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/763697106422992896/uUFoEhC7_normal.jpg" favoritecount="9266" retweetcount="794" status="Witness the Virtual World of Hyundai, #TheNextDimension Live Launch https://t.co/OeFqtxSWed" createdat="1594708551000" id="1282926768056184833"></div> Best new brand on the block: CRED CRED, the fintech startup was all over Twitter timelines in the best way. Launching its first-ever campaign with a series of videos, the brand made a strong impact, reaching new customers. The campaign was spearheaded by some of the strongest voices in the public space, including the founder himself. Moreover, picking up on a trend around nostalgia, they worked with some of the most iconic talent from the 90s and early 00s including, Govinda, Bappi Lahiri, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Anil Kapoor, Udit Narayan, and others in a creative way, ensuring mentions of CRED on Twitter reached new highs. These combined strategies made CRED the best new brand on Twitter’s block. <div type="twitter" handle="CRED_club" handlename="CRED" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1168783954985414656/jr3zLavO_normal.jpg" favoritecount="300" retweetcount="21" status="Sorry, Bappi Da. https://t.co/owaz8eTB0m" createdat="1601298547000" id="1310567212273393665"></div> Best brand voice: Zomato Restaurants may have been closed to visitors earlier this year, but delivery services like Zomato made themselves indispensable. And maybe because Zomato was experiencing it themselves, they knew just what to say to keep people on Twitter engaged. Keeping up with cultural moments and trends, Zomato stayed connected with its audience through conversations that were fun, light-hearted, and more often than not, perfectly hilarious. From being excited about a cricket match to being grumpy because of hunger pangs, Zomato engaged with its audience in one-on-one banter, replying and engaging with Tweets. Adopting a sensitive voice, yet full of personality, the brand built its own community of followers making it the best brand voice on Twitter this year. <div type="twitter" handle="zomato" handlename="zomato" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1100268333352525826/IkyIXuZ4_normal.png" favoritecount="753" retweetcount="64" status="me looking at every dish while deciding what to order https://t.co/KtFEgtwmGm" createdat="1603882550000" id="1321405306396528641"></div> Best brand Fleet: IndiGo Since the test launch of Fleets in June, several brands have embraced it with content designed especially for the format. IndiGo stood out by engaging with its followers through consistent and coherent messaging via Fleets. Adhering to the needs of its patrons, the brand has been using the format to keep passengers informed about flight schedules and other real-time updates. Their diving into this new Twitter format gives them the title of best brand Fleets!

Best Tweets of 2020: Brands that led the way on Twitter in India

<ul><li>The size of the <keyword id="8900632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-sports-industry">Indian Sports Industry</keyword> in 2020 is estimated at INR 5894 Cr ($ 796 Mn). This takes into consideration the following - <keyword id="933048" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sports-sponsorship">Sports Sponsorship</keyword> Spends, Sports Celebrity Endorsement, and Media Spends on Sports Properties.</li><li>The biggest share here goes to media.</li></ul>GroupM ESP, the entertainment, esports and sports division of GroupM India today released the sports sponsorship report for India 2020. The size of the Indian Sports Industry in 2020 is estimated at INR 5894 Crores. This report takes into consideration - sponsorship spends, celebrity endorsement and media spends on sports properties. The biggest share here goes to media, where advertisement spends on TV, Digital and Print media contributed to INR 3657 Crores, which accounts for 62% of the total spends. Sponsorship Spends included On-Ground Sponsorships, Team Sponsorships and Franchise Fee, and this took up 28% of the industry pie, which translates to an amount of INR 1673 Crores. An interesting shift that gained momentum in 2020 was the athlete endorsement which grew 5% over 2019, against the run of play in a year ravaged by the pandemic. During the period of inactivity in sports, there was a significant step jump in the level of social media influencer activity among popular athletes. Here again, cricketers ruled the roost, with a 92% share of the pie. Of the 377 endorsement deals that happened last year, 275 involved cricket players. 2020 also saw female athletes pulling in brands and the continued success of these stars is proof of the fact that our champions are loved, and we are proud of them. As the sporting nations wait eagerly in anticipation, the stocks are highly in favour of endorsements from our athletes. The lockdown had also catalyzed the growth in certain sectors. The absence of live sports along with a sub-optimal supply of fresh OTT content led to the shift towards gaming; the month of April 2020 saw an 11% increase in users per week along with a significant jump in average time spent per gamer. This led to a sudden boom in e-sports in 2020, with communities getting built and multiplayer activities gaining ground. Over the last three years, there has been a doubling in the gamer base as well as viewership numbers in the time. Despite the Covid-19 threat and multiple risks, India’s foremost sporting league, the Indian Premier League (IPL) got underway in UAE in September much to the delight of fans, players, franchisees, sponsors, and rights holders. The success of the IPL was a great demonstration of the qualities of brinkmanship and improvisation, just what the doctor ordered to lift the spirits of a nation in which cricket is followed with religious fervour. Even as the absence of a fair share of events has rendered year-on-year comparisons irrelevant, two things are extremely heartening. First, the overall levels of business seen in the industry in 2020, and then, the high running momentum as we exit the year and move on to 2021.In November, the Indian Super League (ISL) got underway in three venues in Goa with strict protocols and adherence to bio-bubble considerations. This was the first major sports event to be held in India after the pandemic; giving ample demonstration of our ability to pull off an event of this magnitude under such circumstances. Prasanth Kumar, CEO - GroupM South Asia said, “With the lockdown being enforced and subsequent stoppage of play on the field, the void was stark with no visibility on how the anti-Covid efforts would pan out. And even without any activities, our sports heroes stayed close to us. They came closer by actively engaging with their followers on social media and the spontaneity of this online content flow and with the open arms that we welcomed it, is the demonstration of the power of sports in our country. Speedy responses and improvisations are on the go where what the situation demanded and among the many things the Covid-19 situation taught us marketers, was the need to be adaptable as the tide turns fast around us.” <keyword id="345370" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vinit-Karnik">Vinit Karnik</keyword>, Head – Sports, Esports and Entertainment, GroupM South Asia said, “Many sports properties were either cancelled or postponed and even sponsorship and media spends were impacted. But it is commendable how the sporting ecosystem reacted to this crisis taking into consideration the very fact that sports were back sooner than expected. Even in the face of an adverse context, the stakeholders came together to provide the spark the industry needed. The IPL and ISL are an exemplary demonstration of India’s preparedness to host major sporting events under such taxing circumstances. With many sporting events lined up in 2021, fans might have to make choices between certain events in terms of what, when and how much to watch, leading to a rise in demand for subscription viewing in live sports. 2020 looks like that proverbial backward step we take before a giant leap, like the one we are expected to take in 2021, as part of the making of the sporting nation." The past decade has seen the sports ecosystem coming on its own and as the Covid-19 threat put the brakes on the ecosystem, it has brought the stakeholders closer to one another as we found ways to work around the crisis. As India moves into the decade of the 20s, marketers can expect a continuous evolution in the state of affairs in the sports industry. As new content platforms emerged in the wake of the shortage of live sports in 2020, it will increase the demand for sporting content and its consumption in our country.

Indian Sports Industry in 2020 is estimated at Rs 5894 crore; cricket claims 87% share of sports sponsorship pie: GroupM ESP

<ul><li>Gupta will contribute to Google’s ongoing efforts to expand the internet ecosystem in the country, driving Internet adoption among consumers and businesses and accelerating innovation.</li><li>He will take on the role early next year and will be based out of Mumbai working closely with the teams based in Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Bangalore.</li><li>Gupta had played a pivotal role in Star becoming the largest media company in India. </li><li>He played an instrumental role in extending their traditional television content to digital consumers through Hotstar.</li></ul>Google has announced the appointment of <keyword id="7694" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Gupta">Sanjay Gupta</keyword> as its new Country Manager and Vice President of Sales and Operations for India. Gupta will contribute to Google’s ongoing efforts to expand the internet ecosystem in the country, driving Internet adoption among consumers and businesses and accelerating innovation. He will take on the role early next year and will be based out of Mumbai working closely with the teams based in Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Commenting on the appointment, <keyword id="1740955" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Scott-Beaumont">Scott Beaumont</keyword>, President of APAC, Google said “Our ongoing engagement in India is a source of pride for both our Googlers in India but also around the world. Our Indian operation is important and strategic for its own sake but also for the innovation which then feeds breakthroughs elsewhere in Google. We are delighted to have Sanjay join us. We are excited to combine his expertise, experience and leadership with our teams and build further on our existing efforts in this highly dynamic, competitive and exciting digital economy, looking to build a more helpful and inclusive Internet for everyone in India.” Speaking about his appointment, Gupta said “I am delighted to take on the challenge of leading and shaping Google’s charter in India. It is an exciting opportunity to leverage the power of technology to solve some of India’s unique challenges and make Internet an engine of economic growth for people and communities. I am happy to join the passionate teams across Google and look forward to contributing to India’s digital journey as it becomes an innovation hub for the world.” With a career spanning nearly three decades, Gupta joins Google from Star and Disney India where he was the Managing Director. During that time, he played a pivotal role in Star becoming the largest media company in India. Sanjay played an instrumental role in extending their traditional television content to digital consumers through Hotstar. He is also widely credited for building their sports business via the acquisition of marquee cricketing properties and launch of the hugely popular kabaddi and football leagues: <keyword id="2134235" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pro-Kabaddi">Pro Kabaddi</keyword> League and Indian Super League. Apart from his numerous strategic and business wins, he also displays deep consumer understanding and has used it to build strong brands. During his time at Hindustan Unilever he led marketing for two of the company's critical segments: Oral and Home care. Then at Bharti Airtel as Chief Marketing Officer for the mobile business, he spearheaded several successful sales and marketing initiatives. Sanjay is a post graduate from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kolkata, and is an engineer from Delhi College of Engineering.

Sanjay Gupta of Star India to join Google India as Country Manager and VP, Sales and Operations

IPL 2020 - IPL total money spent on auction by all teams from 2013 to 2019

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Former+India+cricket+captain+Sachin+Tendulkar">Former India cricket captain Sachin Tendulkar</a>, who already holds around 40% stake in Kerala Blasters, is going to buy around 20% more stake in the Kochi-based Indian Super League (ISL) franchise. 
 Therefore, Tendulkar will take control of the franchise by raising his stake. He will also get South-based <keyword id="6354241" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Financial-Services">financial services</keyword> firm <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Muthoot+Group+">Muthoot Group</a> as a new co-owner in a realignment of the shareholding pattern. 
 
The cricket legend is going to buy more stake from his current co-owner Hyderabad-based PVP Ventures, emerging as a controlling stakeholder in the two year-old ISL team. 
 
Kerala's financial services major Muthoot Pappachan Group, which is currently the title sponsor of the team, will also acquire close to 20% from PVP Ventures, owned by Hyderabad-based serial entrepreneur Prasad V Potluri. 
 
Though we cannot comment about the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sourav+Ganguly+">financial terms of the transaction</a>, people who are aware of the development said the deal value is close to Rs 75-Rs 85 crore, valuing the franchise at Rs 180 to Rs 200 crore. 
 
PVP Ventures has been in talks to sell its stake in the team as the group intends to deploy the cash in other ventures and pay off some debt, according to multiple sources. 
 
However, the company will retain a 20% stake in the firm and continue as a minority shareholder. "The deal is almost done. A formal announcement is expected soon," said one of the persons familiar with the matter. 
 <keyword id="2580575" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="the-Blasters">The Blasters</keyword> finished runners up in the inaugural edition of the ISL, losing to Atletico de <keyword id="6354925" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Kolkata">Kolkata</keyword> in the final. Tendulkar and former Indian cricket captain <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sourav+Ganguly+">Sourav Ganguly</a> own Kochi and Kolkata teams, respectively. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sourav+Ganguly+">Muthoot Pappachan Group</a>, better known for its gold loan business through its flagship Muthoot Fincorp, has interests in diversified areas from hospitality to automotive, from infrastructure to IT services, to healthcare and renewal energy. 
 
Recently, it has launched several endeavours to promote sports through MPG Cricket Academy and also groomed football talents. 
 India's leading industrialists and sports celebrities as well as <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> stars have invested in the Indian Super League's eight franchises, expecting an IPL-model kind of gain in brand ownership, which may eventually translate into handsome returns on invested capital. "The first season was a great success and Blasters was one of the best teams in the inaugural league. Entry of Tendulkar as a controlling shareholder in the franchise may also boost the brand value significantly," said a consultant with a leading multinational firm. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Sachin Tendulkar continues to play masterstrokes-this time in business! Going to buy 20% more stake in Kerala Blasters

<ul><li><keyword id="1734364" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Duff-Phelps">Duff &amp; Phelps</keyword> has undertaken a study to analyze the impact of <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> on the value of <keyword id="6354312" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> Ecosystem, which was estimated in their IPL Brand Valuation Report 2019.</li><li>They have considered various scenarios which were addressed by BCCI President, <keyword id="6507" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saurav-Ganguly">Saurav Ganguly</keyword>, during his press conference over the weekend and estimated the impact on IPL Ecosystem value under each of those scenarios in this note by <keyword id="5571816" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Santosh-N">Santosh N</keyword>, Managing Partner D and P Advisory LLP and external advisor, Duff &amp; Phelps. </li></ul> We might just be in the first quarter of 2020, but the year has already seen the unprecedented shutdown of global sports leagues due to COVID19. The last such shut down happened during World War II when all major sporting events across the globe including the Olympics in 1940 &amp; 1944 were cancelled. Major sports leagues across the world including EPL, La Liga, Seria A, NBA, Champions League, bilateral cricket tournaments are suspended at least until the first week of April as governments scramble to contain the spread of the virus which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. UEFA EURO 2020 and COPA America 2020, the two major football events scheduled to take place this year in June have also been pushed to 2021. Even the Olympics 2020 being held in Japan face the threat of cancellation or postponement if the pandemic does not subside in the next couple of months. More recently, the Indian Super League finals between ATK &amp; Chennaiyin FC had to be played behind closed doors. <keyword id="6354831" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</keyword> (IPL), one of the most keenly awaited events in India has also felt the heat of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword>, with Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) deciding to postpone the start of IPL season until April 15th with no clear visibility of its start date and a major threat of cancellation looming around. The Government of India and various state governments have mandatorily banned public gatherings in view of public health and safety concerns. The government has also suspended visas from most countries which might impact the availability of foreign players who are a vital cog in the IPL. Given this background, the options before BCCI are somewhat limited. Duff &amp; Phelps has undertaken a study to analyze the impact of COVID19 on the value of IPL Ecosystem, which was estimated in our IPL Brand Valuation Report 2019. We have considered various scenarios which were addressed by BCCI President, Saurav Ganguly, during his press conference over the weekend and have estimated the impact on IPL Ecosystem value under each of those scenarios. The scenarios considered are: 1) Scenario 1: Truncated IPL with the number of matches reduced to half, a high possibility as per BCCI. 2) Scenario 2: The entire IPL 13 season getting cancelled Our impact analysis has been carried out on the IPL ecosystem value calculated by Duff &amp; Phelps last year which was US$6.8 billion in 2019. The analysis doesn’t reflect the current value of the IPL ecosystem which would have been estimated after considering the factors available post completion of IPL 2020. Scenario 1: According to BCCI officials, in case the IPL season commences on April 15th, it will be truncated as more than 15 days would have been lost by that time. In our analysis we have assumed that in a truncated season, each team will play against the other only once, instead of the home &amp; away format, thus reducing the number of league matches by half. We have also factored in two situations - one where the spectators are allowed inside the stadium and another where the matches are played behind closed doors, effectively impacting the in-stadia revenues including gate receipts and food and beverages. The impact of revenue loss on account of lack of gate receipts is negligible on the IPL value. It might in fact benefit the broadcasters if the shutdown persists and more people are forced to spend time at home thus increasing the television audience for IPL, though none of the stakeholders including the broadcasters prefer this option. Further, we have factored in the loss of revenue from broadcasting and sponsorship, as broadcast partners and sponsors will renegotiate the contracts based on the number of matches being played. We have also considered the impact of a truncated tournament on the sale of official merchandising and associated revenues. Overall, under Scenario I, the IPL ecosystem value estimated by us last year is expected to reduce by USD 200 Million to USD 350 Million range (3.0% to 5.0%). Scenario 2: Under this scenario we have assumed the possibility of the entire IPL 13 getting cancelled, a high possibility if the current situation persists. This scenario will have a massive impact on the IPL Ecosystem value as it will also consider larger economic and financial consequences. In this scenario, we have considered two sub scenarios. First there is no impact on the next year’s edition and the second, a complete one year set back from revenue perspective for all the stakeholders. In sub scenario 1, we have considered nil cash inflow from the broadcaster or title &amp; associate sponsors for the 2020 season as the same is assumed cancelled. Likewise, franchisees will not receive their share of revenue from central pool nor will they be required to share profits with BCCI as part of their franchise fees. However, we have considered the expenses incurred by BCCI, IPL franchisees and other stakeholders with respect to advertising, promotional events and other general administrative costs including salaries to their non-cricket playing staff, etc. In sub scenario 2, apart from the cashflow impact considered for the 2020 season, we have also considered economic impact due to the one year set back, where we have anticipated that the sponsorship revenues might not grow at desired levels next year due to the current disruption. Under Scenario 2, we estimate the IPL Ecosystem value to reduce by USD 700 Million to USD 1,000 Million range (approx. 10.0% to 15.0%). Our analysis under this scenario does not capture a financial recession like event which would further impact the IPL Ecosystem value. - This note has been written by Santosh N, Managing Partner D and P Advisory LLP and External Advisor, Duff &amp; Phelps

COVID-19's impact on IPL 2020: Duff & Phelps

The Indian Super League (<keyword id="244888" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Isl">ISL</keyword>), which is touted to be a game changer for <keyword id="64" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Football">football</keyword>, has had quite a successful opening. The league scored a record reach of 74.7 million on its first day and the cumulative reach for the first week was a whopping 170.6 million. These reach figures are the second highest for any sports league, after the twenty-twenty cricket league, <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword>. 
 Now these numbers speak volumes about the encouraging response the league has got from the viewers. Interestingly, <keyword id="6354632" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Social-media">social media</keyword> has played a key role in creating buzz around the league. Zafar Rais, CEO of MindShift Interactive says, “The digital era has put forward a platform for every property to reach a wider audience with an advantage of instant feedback. Indian Super League has strategically focused its campaign via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, garnering just about 70,000 mentions of the ISL on social media (majority of them on Twitter) in the last 15 days.” 
 
Social Media Presence Of ISL 
The league has quite a strong presence on key social media platforms including Facebook, twitter, youtube besides others. The leagues’ total fan likes on Facebook were a whopping 1,078,081. Twitter followers were 54,284 and YouTube had 2,298,298 views and 3,772 subscribers (As of October 26, 2014). Compared to the 20-20 cricket league IPL, these numbers look miniscule, yet they are quite encouraging, considering this being the first year of the league. Moreover, these numbers are much ahead of India’s domestic football league, the I-League. 
 
Other than this, there are Facebook &amp; Twitter accounts of the 8 teams that are part of the Indian Super League, namely – Mumbai City FC, Atletico De Kolkata, Delhi Dynamos, Kerala Blasters, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, FC Pune and Northeast United FC. 
 
The Buzz Created So Far 
There have been just about 70,000 mentions of the ISL on social media (majority of them on Twitter) in the last 15 days. The league’s follower count on Twitter is 1/29th of the fans of the EPL (English Premier League), and 1/14th of the fans of the IPL (Indian Premier League). So, it hasn’t really kicked off in India on the social media front as it would have expected. 
 
#LetsFootball is the most popular hashtag that is trending around the league. With the general sentiment around the league being positive, males between the age group of 21-30 are the most who have used this hashtag. In terms of popularity, the hashtag is discussed more on Twitter than Facebook (source: Mindshift Interactive report). It is also more popular than the I-League, the traditional top division football league of India. 
 
Stats around the hashtag #LetsFootball 
Now, let us just look at some interesting statistics around the hashtag #LetsFootball. 
● According to the Mindshift Interactive report, there were about 113,178 tweets, 1.06 billion impressions and 68,483 mentions of the hashtag on the day of ISL launch. 
● These mentions of the hashtag have dropped considerably post launch day. 
● On the opening day of the league, 5 of the 7 trending topics in India were related to ISL. These are: #LetsFootball, #IndianSuperLeague, #atleticodekolkata, #MumbaiCityFC and Luis Garcia. 
● The Indian Super League is talked about in 50+ countries, including the likes of USA, UK, Indonesia and Brazil. 
 
Celebrity Promotions On Twitter 
 
The celebrity glitz has also helped the ISL generate buzz on social media platforms. Cricketers and film personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham co-own franchises in the ISL. These celebrities and a few others have added to the ISL social media zing by mentioning it in their tweets. During October 7th-14, 2014, the ISL got 1100 twitter mentions by Priyanka Chopra, 900 mentions by Sachin Tendulkar, 840 mentions by Hrithik Roshan, 635 mentions by Sourav Ganguly, 440 mentions by Ranbir Kapoor, 400 mentions by Abhishek Bachchan and 130 mentions by John Abraham. 
 
Looking at these numbers, one can say that social media has helped create a good initial buzz for the league. Though there is a need for a lot more to be done, not just this season but in the forthcoming seasons, to take the ISL to the heights of other popular leagues like the IPL and EPL.

The Social Media Push For ISL

His willow has spoken of numerous victories. His stance on crease has earned him the title of Master Blaster. Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar turned 42 today. The opponents who lost to India in matches would console themselves saying ‘we lost to thee God!’ 
 
It’s just a little more than a year that Sachin has retired more the ambit of international cricket. 
 
As per a PTI news report, though the batting maestro has ended his on-field journey, he continues to attract attention with his insights and comments about the game that he adorned for nearly a quarter century. 
 
Retiring from cricket, Sachin now c0-owns Indian Super League football franchise Kerala Blasters. In Mumbai to celebrate his birthday, Sachin would also watch his former IPL team Mumbai Indians play against Sunrisers Hyderabad tomorrow. 
 
(Image: India Times)

And the God turns 42

Young entrepreneurs having a keen interest in <keyword id="6356028" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sports">sports</keyword> are exploring new avenues for investing in the lucrative <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sports">sports sector</a>. Don’t believe us? Well, then you didn’t hear about the success several sports startups have witnessed in the recent times. 
 <keyword id="3067375" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Football-Mind">The Football Mind</keyword>, a football networking website that got operational just three months ago, has gathered more than 5,000 users, around 500 clubs, 200 academies and 50 football associations on its platform by now. What new they have done? They have brought together football clubs, academics, players, coaches, associations and admirers of the game. Quiet interesting right? 
 
Pragnesh Krishnamurthy, an IIT graduate and chief executive and co-founder of The Football Mind says, "Popularity is directly proportional to sponsorship and that helps any sports club or association grow." 
 
Krishnamurthy further said that the sports offers an opportunity of around $200 million (about Rs 1,320 crore) in the country as India has more than 25,000 professional clubs, three lakh players and over 8.5 crore fans. 
 Devinder Singh Bhusari, another sports aficionado who quit his job with <keyword id="6356834" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Oil-Corporation">Indian Oil Corporation</keyword>, and launched tennis firm Shaishya Edu &amp; Sports three years ago predicts a shining future of sports startups in India. 
 
He says, “More people are taking to sports not only as future profession for young students but also as exercise for busy working professionals and even housewives.” We can’t ignore his words, as these are coming from the man who has been associated with sports all his life. He is a former Asian champion in the under-14 category and a rank holder from the Association of Tennis Professionals, Gujarat. 
 
As reported by The Economic Times, the company, which had a turnover of Rs 95 lakh last year has around 225-275 players round the year. Of the players, 50 are business and working professionals, 10-15 are home-makers and the remaining are students. And the firm has already organised two Asian ranking tournaments and about 10 national level tournaments of various levels. 
 Tennis is another sport that has caught the attention of the middle and higher classes, says a <keyword id="50041" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="KPMG">KPMG</keyword> report. The study credits this trend to much higher disposable incomes and share of spending on educational and recreational activities, which is set to increase from 5% at present to 9% in 2025. 
 
Tuhin Mishra, managing director of Baseline, a startup which deals in sports marketing and licensing, said the overall sports industry in India has grown 10% from Rs 4,372.5 crore in 2013 to Rs 4,806.9 crore in 2015. "The global sports industry is growing faster than overall GDP and long-term prospects remain strong," he said. 
 
Mishra also believes that the industry has grown mainly due to the emergence of new sports leagues like the Indian Super League, Pro Kabaddi League and World Kabaddi League. 
 
Saumil Majmudar, managing director and co-founder of EduSports says, "We have grown from 10 schools in 2010 to 400 schools in five years." 
 A SeedFund-funded startup, EduSports’s growth led it to being featured in the 14th edition of marketing guru <keyword id="248225" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Philip-Kotler">Philip Kotler</keyword>'s book 'Marketing Management - a South Asia Perspective' as a case study. 
 
Bharati Jacob, managing partner of Seedfund Advisors, an early-stage venture capital firm, said, "We are always looking for scalable ventures and I believe sport-related ventures scale up well." According to other venture fund experts, startups are set to cater to auxiliary sports services too. 
Image: thinkstock

Sports startups are flourishing in India

<keyword id="6354267" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sachin-Tendulkar">Sachin Tendulkar</keyword> once again proved he is more than cricket. The iconic Sachin Tendulkar today celebrated his 43rd birthday by playing cricket with children from the ‘Make-A-Wish India’ organisation in the city, even as the fraternity wished him and waxed eloquence. 

	Tendulkar spent some time with the children, teaching them the basics of batting, bowling and fielding at the MIG Club. He posted the same on his official Facebook page.
 

	Tendulkar retired from all forms of cricket in November 2013 during the Test match against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium.
 

	Tendulkar is the leading run-scorer in Tests and ODIs. He is the only cricketer to have hit 100 international centuries, and the first to score a double century in ODIs.
 

	Tendulkar received India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna from the President Pranav Mukherjee in 2014. He is the youngest recipient to date and the first ever sportsperson to receive the award.
 

	As he stepped into his 43rd year, wishes started to pour in on Twitter.
 “Many happy returns of the day champion @sachin_rt have a blessed year!” former India captain and long-time teammate <keyword id="6364325" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anil-Kumble">Anil Kumble</keyword> wrote on his Twitter handle. India opener <keyword id="17805" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shikhar-Dhawan">Shikhar Dhawan</keyword> said, “Happy Birthday Paaji! There never was, and never will be another Sachin!” <keyword id="6354756" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BCCI">BCCI</keyword> bigwigs — secretary Anurag Thakur and IPL chairman <keyword id="13855" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajeev-Shukla">Rajeev Shukla</keyword> — were not to be left behind. 

	“Happy birthday to one and only @sachin_rt . Wishing you lots of happiness and good health,” Thakur said.
 

	Shukla wrote, “Happy birthday Sachin. May God give u more strength to serve cricket &amp; also duties of an mp.”
 <keyword id="14587" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Suresh-Raina">Suresh Raina</keyword> said, “Happy birthday @sachin_rt the best man I know on and off the field. Wishing you health and success always.” 

	Pacer S. Sreesanth said, “respected Sachin Paaji, may u have the best birthday ever, honour knowing you, love and respect alwys.”
 

	Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq also wished the batting maestro who has amassed 15921 runs in 200 Tests and 18426 runs in 463 ODIs.
 

	“Have a wonderful day brother @sachin_rt. God bless you,” Saqlain said.
 

	The good wishes were not just restricted to cricket.
 

	“Happy Birthday to @sachin_rt #LivingLegend #respect #love God bless sir,” said star boxer Vijender Singh.
 All India Football Federation president <keyword id="6355497" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Praful-Patel">Praful Patel</keyword> wrote, “Wishing the cricket legend @sachin_rt a very Happy Birthday. May almighty bless him always.” 

	The Indian Super League said, “Best wishes to @KBFCOfficial owner and cricketing great, @sachin_rt on his birthday!”
 Celebrities like <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword>, <keyword id="671" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vir-das">Vir Das</keyword> and Dhanush took to social media to wish Tendulkar. 

	Bollywood’s megastar Amitabh shared that the cricketing icon “makes us so proud”.
 

	He tweeted: “Happy birthday Sachin...Our pride and our honour! Happy birthday Sachin...you make us so proud”.
 Actor <keyword id="6354700" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anil-Kapoor">Anil Kapoor</keyword> shared on Twitter: “He is a game changer, a creator of and a gem of a person. Happy birthday Sachin Tendulkar. You will always be a legend.” 

	Calling himself a “true fan”, the “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” star Ayushmann Khurrana tweeted: “It’s Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday. True fan! When he used to get out, I used to stop eating food.”
 

	Actor and comedian Vir Das not only wished the batting legend, but also highlighted how the star has taught the world about humanity. He posted: “There’s very few athletes who teach you as much about humanity as they do about the sport. Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar”.
 <keyword id="499" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="abhishek-bachchan">Abhishek Bachchan</keyword> tweeted: “Happy birthday legend! Sachin Tendulkar”, whereas singer Armaan Malik wished him “a lifetime of happiness and joy because that is what you have given us through your craft!”. 

	Dhanush, who has worked in southern film industry as well as Bollywood, also tweeted: “Happy birthday to the god of cricket Sachin Tendulkar... All hail the man who made and making our country proud”, and comedian Papa CJ shared: “Happy birthday Sachin Tendulkar — thanks for the memories and entertainment!”.
 

	After wrapping up stupendous innings on the cricket pitch, master blaster Tendulkar will be making a splash on the film scene with the upcoming film “Sachin The Film”. Mumbai-based production company 200 Not Out is making the film with London-based award-winning writer, director and producer James Erskine as the director.

	 
	 
	(Image credits: indiatimes)

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India footballer Vineeth joins COVID-19 helpline centre in Kerala

PTI

Best Tweets of 2020: Brands that led the way on Twitter in India

BI India Partner

Indian Sports Industry in 2020 is estimated at Rs 5894 crore; cricket claims 87% share of sports sponsorship pie: GroupM ESP

BI India Bureau

Sanjay Gupta of Star India to join Google India as Country Manager and VP, Sales and Operations

BI India Partner

IPL 2020 - IPL total money spent on auction by all teams from 2013 to 2019

BI India Bureau

Sachin Tendulkar continues to play masterstrokes-this time in business! Going to buy 20% more stake in Kerala Blasters

BI India Bureau

COVID-19's impact on IPL 2020: Duff & Phelps

Guest Author

The Social Media Push For ISL

BI India Bureau

And the God turns 42

BI India Bureau

Sports startups are flourishing in India

BI India Bureau

Sachin Tendulkar imparts cricket training to children to celebrate his 43rd birthday

BI India Bureau