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The retention lists of all ten franchises for the <keyword id="6354831" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Premier-League" source="Orion">Indian Premier League</keyword> (<keyword id="6354312" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="IPL" source="Orion">IPL</keyword>) season next year were finally unveiled on Thursday, with several big names like Jos Buttler, Aiden Markram, Glenn Maxwell, Faf Du Plessis, KL Rahul, Rishabh <keyword id="19900230" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pant" source="keywords">Pant</keyword>, <keyword id="19904097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shreyas-iyer" source="keywords">Shreyas Iyer</keyword> etc being let go by their respective franchises. The surprising retentions and releases by all ten franchises have laid down the foundation for what could be an exciting, fun and record-breaking auction later this year. Let us look at several takeways from the auction: <h2>Several captaincy options available</h2> With the release of IPL winning skipper Shreyas Iyer from Kolkata Knight Riders (<keyword id="19924483" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kkr" source="keywords">KKR</keyword>), Rishabh Pant from Delhi Capitals (DC) and KL Rahul from Lucknow Super Giants, three top-class Indian captaincy options are available. <h2>Auction could be defined by wicketkeepers pulling double/triple duties</h2>The announcement of retention lists have seen many wicketkeeping options being released by their respective franchises, including Pant (from DC), KL (from LSG), Ishan Kishan (from Mumbai Indians) and Jos Buttler (from Rajasthan Royals). With all of them having captaincy experience at various levels, including international <keyword id="1521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cricket" source="Orion">cricket</keyword> in case of Pant, KL and Buttler, several teams could go after them. Their experience and strong records as wicketkeepers and top-order batters, particularly opening except for Pant, will help teams find a captain, wicketkeeper and an opener in just one player and save them plenty of money. <h2>No English players retained? Could withdrawing/not playing full season be a cause?</h2> No England players have been retained by franchises this team around. Various stars players like Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Harry Brook, Phil Salt, Will Jacks etc have been let go. These players missed out some part of their season due to international commitments, while Harry Brook pulled out due to personal reasons. England batter Jason Roy pulled out of IPL ahead of this season due to personal reasons. These all developments damaged the team balance at times, with several teams dependent on their overseas talent. Has the habit of not honouring contracts and missing matches caused this move? The hammer strikes at auction could answer this question. <h2>Caribbean power trusted ahead of mega auction</h2>Four of current top West Indies stars, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre <keyword id="20287010" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="russell" source="keywords">Russell</keyword> and Sunil Narine have been retained by their respective franchises. Pooran has dominated the T20 run charts this year, scoring a record-setting 2,251 runs in 68 matches with a century and 15 fifties at a strike rate of 160.90. Hetmyer is one of the best finishers in T20 circuit and Rajasthan Royals trusts in his abilities. Russell (222 runs in nine matches and 19 wickets) and Narine (488 runs and 17 wickets) have also been reaped rewards for their title winning performances last season and their loyalty to KKR brand. While seven West Indies talents have been released, namely, Shai Hope, Sherfane Rutherford, Kyle Mayers, Shamar Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Alzarri Joseph and Rovman Powell, the four modern-day T20 greats keeping their spots safe with the franchise shows how much trust franchise has in Caribbean power. And who knows, the released names could get brought using right-to-match card or find a new home at a higher price. <h2>Another setback for Ishan Kishan?</h2> Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) placed their trust in Indian core, consisting of skipper Hardik Pandya, former captain Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, 360-degree hitter Suryakumar Yadav and young left-hander Tilak Varma. It was expected that Ishan could retain his place, given his youth and experience with the franchise. Aged just 26, he had spent seven seasons with the franchise and did reasonably well. However, after being brought for Rs 15.25 crores ahead of 2022 season, the price tag seemed to have caught up with Kishan. In next 44 matches for the franchise till the 2024-season-end, Kishan scored 1,192 runs in 43 innings at an average of 28.98, with just seven fifties. While these numbers are not bad, it could be debatable that he did not deliver as per expectations, with 19 scores being below 20. In the 2024 season, he could score just 320 runs at an average of just over 22, with just a fifty to his name. After being excluded from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) central contract this year after not participating for red-ball cricket, this is another big setback for Kishan, who has not been considered for international cricket despite participating and doing well in red-ball tournaments like Buchi Babu Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy recently. <h2>DC era 2.0 on cards?</h2> With wicketkeeper-batter and biggest superstar of the franchise, Pant released from the franchise and looking for a new franchise as per several media reports, Delhi Capitals could be moving to their 2.0 era, placing trust in young, under-the radar names like Axar Patel (235 runs with two fifties and 11 wickets in 2024), Tristan Stubbs (378 runs with three fifties and three wickets), Abhishek Porel (327 runs with two fifties) and Kuldeep Yadav (16 wickets at an average of 23.25) after good performances last year. Franchise has also released big time stars like David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Anrich Nortje, Prithvi Shaw. Could this be the start of a new era for DC? Only time will tell. <h2>Shreyas Iyer joins unfortunate list of captains</h2>The IPL winning captain Shreyas Iyer has been let go after winning the title for his franchise KKR this year, their first in a decade and overall third. While many argue his batting stats of 351 runs in 14 innings with two fifties at a strike rate of 146.86 could be a reason behind his release, the other half of the story is that the in-form KKR top-order did not leave the middle-order with much to do. His recurring fitness issues, which caused him to miss 2023 season, also could be a reason. Irrespective of what the reason could be, one thing is for sure, Iyer is up there with likes of Adam Gilchrist (released by Deccan Chargers in 2011 after title win in 2009, semifinal finish in 2010), David Warner (released by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of 2022 season despite 2016 title win and multiple playoff finishes) as one of the most unluckiest captains in IPL. <h2>Strong faith in Indian uncapped/inexperienced stars</h2>The franchises have been extremely bold this time around, opting to release experienced, household Indian/overseas names and placing their trust in several Indian uncapped/inexperienced players. Out of a total of 46 players retained across all franchises, 36 players are Indian. Out of these, 10 players are uncapped Indians stars. These players are Abhishek Porel, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni, Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Yash Dayal. Also, out of other 24 capped Indians, 13 players have played less than 30 international matches and eight have played 10 or less international games for India. Of these 24 uncapped players, no one has all format experience for India and only two have Test cricket experience, Dhruv Jurel and <keyword id="20022019" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajat-patidar" source="keywords">Rajat Patidar</keyword>. Notably, it is Jurel, who has just played international matches for India, who has received the biggest pay hike, going from Rs 20 lakh this season to Rs 14 crores next season. <h2>End of 'KGF' era for Royal Challengers Bengaluru?</h2> With stars like Faf and Maxwell released, it could spell the end of 'Kohli, Glenn, Faf' (KGF) era for <keyword id="20282652" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rcb" source="keywords">RCB</keyword>, which lasted from 2022-24. During this phase, they all scored heavily for RCB. Despite a lull in 2022 season, Virat scored 1,721 runs in 45 matches and innings at an average of 44.12, with three centuries and 13 fifties. Skipper Faf also scored 1,636 runs in 45 innings at an average of 38.05, with a strike rate of 146.99 and 15 fifties to his name. Maxwell sits at the third spot with 1,266 runs at an average of 28.77 and a strike rate of over 159, with 12 half-centuries in 50 innings. The only player that came closer to the trio was Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, who made 796 runs in 44 matches and 42 innings at an average of 29.48, with three fifties. If RCB had Virat-AB de Villiers-Chris Gayle in 2010s, KGF dominated the RCB batting numbers in 2020s. When RCB starts rebuilding their side from scratch in the auction, they would have a huge task in hand of finding one or two highly popular, capable and consistent foreign stars to help Virat unleash the carnage in a "Play Bold" avatar. Also, with the Rajat Patidar being retained for 11 crores, RCB might have made it clear that he could be the next big Indian batter the franchise invests in. His exceptional spin abilities have made a lot of difference for the side. Ever since he was brought by the franchise in 2021 for Rs 20 lakh, Patidar has played 27 matches, scoring 799 runs at an average of 34.73 with a strike rate of 158.84 and having registered a century and seven fifties. A complete list of retained players is as follows: <ul><li>Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni</li><li>Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel</li><li>Gujarat Titans: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan</li><li>Kolkata Knight Riders: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh</li><li>Lucknow Super Giants: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni</li><li>Mumbai Indians: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma</li><li>Punjab Kings: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh</li><li>Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma</li><li>Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal</li><li>Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head.</li></ul>

From spotlight on uncapped stars to big releases, a look at key takeways from latest IPL retention lists

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Eva Longoria stepped in at the last minute with a $6 million investment that saved "John Wick."</li><li>Since then, she's invested in two soccer clubs, a tequila, and a food brand, and has her own production company.</li></ul>Ten years ago, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eva-longoria-producer-john-wick-2024-10">Eva Longoria became the unlikely savior</a> of "John Wick."About a week before the movie was set for release in 2014, stuntmen-turned-directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch ran out of money when they lost almost $6 million in gap financing.Unbeknownst to them at the time, Longoria, who was then best known for playing Gabrielle on the hit series "Desperate Housewives," stepped in with the cash to complete the movie."CAA, which was putting the financing together, they offered the opportunity to some actors who had some bankroll," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-wick-keanu-reeves-popularity-chad-stahelski-david-leitch-interview-2024-10">Leitch told Business Insider in an interview</a> alongside Stahelski celebrating the movie's 10th anniversary. "'You'll be first out of this waterfall, you'll get your money back then X amount.' Eva was like, 'Cool!'""She came to the rescue," Stahelski added.You know the rest. The movie, which stars Keanu Reeves as the title character, a former assassin who returns to the bloody trade to avenge the death of his dog, became a surprise box office hit, earning over $86 million worldwide and spawning a successful franchise.The movie revitalized Reeves' career, giving him his biggest hit since "The Matrix," and turned Stahelski and Leitch from stunt guys into viable action directors.The last-minute financing save also marked a turning point for Longoria, kick-starting her interest in becoming a major investor in Hollywood.Since then, Longoria has started the production company Hyphenate Media Group, which most recently produced the Apple TV+ series "Land of Women," in which Longoria also starred. She's also invested in two soccer teams, including Natalie Portman's Angel City FC, the most valuable team in women's sports history; the tequila company Casa Del Sol; and Siete Foods, which sold to PepsiCo in October for over $1 billion.Business Insider spoke to Longoria about what led to her investing in "John Wick" — the first time ever she's spoken on the topic publicly — and how she's become a successful investor in the years since.Chad and David told me they had lost $6 million in gap financing and that "John Wick" was literally going to be shut down in a day until you agreed to invest that money to save the movie. Is that accurate?That is accurate. By the way, I was in my infancy. I love David saying, "They went to people with bankroll." [Laughs.] My bankroll was very new, and it was a lot of money, and I was like, "So how does it work?" I had no idea. I would love to say I was an investment genius and I just knew and I calculated my risk. No, none of that. How did it all happen?An agent, and he wasn't even my agent, he called me and said, "You got money, you should put your money here." And I didn't even know how a movie was made. I was like, "What do you mean gap financing?"But something that I've learned, looking back, I love investing in people. You can tell me you're opening a chicken farm, but if you're fucking passionate about it and you've done the work and know the market, I mean, Chad and David did their work. They put in their 10,000 hours as stunt guys and second unit directors; they had seen all the bad movies and knew how to make a good one. It was that. They were undeniably passionate and I knew they were going to make an undeniable product. They have that hunger and scrappiness that I have. I'm very scrappy in my life. I'm like, "Why can't we just do this like this?"<div type="image" title="john wick " height="2756" width="4332" msid="114818649" hostid="261" sizebytes="196522"></div>In the 10 years since "John Wick" came out, have you thought about how significant your investment in this movie was, especially in the action genre?It changed the genre. Took Keanu in a whole new trajectory. I remember last year at one of the Oscar dinners, I'm sitting at my table and across from me is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-fall-guy-david-leitch-kelly-mccormick-relationship-stunts-interview-2024-4">David Leitch with his wife</a>. And I didn't recognize him at first. He goes, "Hello," and I go, "Hi." And he goes, "It's David." And I'm like, "Hi?" And he was like, "You changed my life."Then I realized who it was. We hadn't spoken in 10 years. I never saw them again, and I didn't need to because I was getting the checks. [Laughs.] But it was such a serendipitous moment to sit with him and get the inside story of what happened. My husband was there and was like, "What did you do?" I was like, "John Wick."My husband is friends with the head of Lionsgate and he'll say to him sometimes, "I see we wrote a check to Eva this week." But the geniuses were Chad and David and the star that was Keanu. I just wrote the check. To this day, you still get checks from "John Wick"?Yes. What I'm pissed off about is I wasn't connected to the rest of them. This was a one-time thing. That was the gamble. But that was my only mistake, not being attached to all of the films. What have you made off that $6 million investment?You know, I would have to check. More than double, for sure. Have you run into Keanu since?I have! Again, that was recently, too. We ran into each other because of his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/keanu-reeves-alexandra-grant-relationship-timeline-photos-2022-6">girlfriend, Alexandra</a>. We know her through some friends, and we met her and Keanu at an art event. Keanu said, "I'd love to take you to dinner; we should celebrate 10 years." So we toasted to "John Wick." What you've done since is very impressive. You've invested in two soccer clubs, a tequila, a food brand, and you own a production company. How did your ambition as an investor evolve after "John Wick"? I like to say, "Yes, I'm a genius." No, everything comes up in different ways. I get asked a lot to invest and the things I invest in have to have purpose, they have to have a point of view, they have to fix a market problem or improve upon a market problem. For instance, with the tequila, Casa Del Sol, I was blown away by the brand story in that our tequila is the number one spirit drank by women and we have a lot of women in key positions. Even our master distiller is a woman, which is rare in the tequila industry. So I wanted to support her. <div type="image" title="Angel City players celebrating on the soccer field" height="3517" width="5275" msid="114818654" hostid="261" sizebytes="1176010"></div>And with Angel City, Natalie Portman came to me and said she wanted to do an experiment to see if we can run a football team with a different business model where everyone benefits, especially the female soccer players. She wanted to change the business model for female soccer. So I was like, "Okay great!" I thought it was a donation. I thought I was helping a cause. So <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/sep/05/nwsls-angel-city-sold-for-record-breaking-250m-to-disney-ceo-bob-iger">when we sold</a>, I was like, "Oh, my god." That was 14 times what I put in. It was crazy. And the other soccer team, Club Necaxa, you're <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/club-necaxa-eva-longoria-fx-disney-1236064184/">shooting a docuseries</a> for that?Yeah. We're currently shooting season 1. Actually, more people in the United States watch Liga MX than the Premier League. So my partners in that, Al Tylis and Sam Porter, they came to me because they wanted an authentic Mexican connection and though I was already with Angel City I wanted to expand my sports portfolio and uplift Mexican soccer. It's one of the great leagues in the world. And this team is one of the oldest teams, like Wrexham. But we're in a bigger division. Speaking of Wrexham AFC, how are you and Club Necaxa connected with that club's owners, Ryan Reynolds and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rob-mcelhenney-always-sunny-philadelphia-wrexham-wife-learning-disability-2024-6">Rob McElhenney</a>? They invested in us and we invested in them, so that's how we're connected. Once you invest in a soccer team you realize very quickly you need more investment. [Laughs.] Will we see you on "Welcome to Wrexham"?Yeah. I shot some stuff for "Wrexham," in Wrexham. And Rob and Ryan are coming out to Aguascalientes [the home of Club Necaxa] next weekend. And Siete Foods recently was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pepsico.com/our-stories/press-release/pepsico-to-acquire-siete-foods-for-12-billion10012024">acquired by Pepsi for $1.2 billion. </a>That's another crazy investment. I had been a fan of the product and had used it since its infancy when it was in Ziploc bags, because they are from Texas like me. I love the Garza family and tried to invest many times early on. They are family owned; they did everything themselves.When I came in they were already a $400 million company, and it was time to take them to the next step to become a billion-dollar food brand and also one of the only Hispanic food brands to reach $1 billion. I just believed in the product and their mission. We came from the same culture and same values. So about a year ago, I invested in them and we just sold to Pepsi. <div type="image" title="Eva Longoria next to bottles of Casa Del Sol" height="2401" width="3600" msid="114818645" hostid="261" sizebytes="222612"></div>You really have a magic touch in investing. What is the secret to being successful at this?It's a lot of work. This is my day job. The amount of days I dedicate to going to distributors and shaking hands with retailers for my tequila is the majority of my year. Going to the restaurants and bartending at events to bring brand awareness. And the same thing with Siete. Doing the social media, going into the research kitchen, looking at the market and seeing what we want to represent in our culture in a mainstream market, is it the healthy choice? It's a lot of work. I'm not just writing checks. It's my sweat. Looking back, how significant was the "John Wick" investment in your investing career today? If it crashed and burned, would you still have been willing to invest again?That's a good question. I don't know if that would have put a bad taste in my mouth. I'm really lucky to have had amazing investors around me and I'm intensely curious. I always ask, "How does my money make money?" I've been obsessed with that. I want to be making money while I'm sleeping. So surrounding myself with people who can tell me what is risky and what isn't is good. "How much are you willing to lose?" is always a big question. [Laughs.] I'm like, "How much am I willing to lose?" Nothing! Zero. How much is acting a priority in your life now?I've been behind the camera for the last 12 years and I finally went back in front of the camera with a show for Apple ["Land of Women"]. I also did "Searching for Mexico" and "Searching for Spain" on CNN. But that's a bit of an extension of my food brand. I have a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739587/my-mexican-kitchen-by-eva-longoria/">cook book coming out</a>. I really want to do stuff that I love with people that I love. That's the blueprint. Are you still on the grind of looking through scripts to find projects?Yes, but for my media company, Hyphenate Media. Producing and directing is still my core. That's the tentpole of the circus. That's what holds everything up. So I'm now reading scripts and developing shows for other people.I want to make 40-50 more Eva Longorias. I don't want to star in everything, I want to build up the next generation of actors and writers and producers from the Latino community and also women. So that's, again, that purpose-driven aspect of everything that I do. What am I doing? What am I saying? Is it going to make a difference? This interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.

Funding 'John Wick' kick-started Eva Longoria's investing career. Now, it's her day job.

<ul><li>The batting team needs to score maximum runs in the power play to stay ahead. Likewise, early-career investments can help a lot! </li><li>Like a well-rounded team of batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders, your portfolio needs to be diversified across asset classes </li><li>Like a good coach, you need a good financial advisor to increase your chances of success </li></ul>It is that time of the year when a Mumbaikar may pick a fight with a Bangalorean over a match of <keyword id="1521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cricket" source="Orion">cricket</keyword>. The <keyword id="6354831" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-premier-league" source="Orion">Indian Premier League</keyword> (<keyword id="6354312" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipl" source="Orion">IPL</keyword>) is upon us and for the next one and a half months or so, it is sure to take up a lot of mind space for all cricket lovers. Cricket is not just a sport in India, it’s an emotion. And as an engaging game, especially the short T20 format of IPL, it can teach us some valuable <keyword id="2510823" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-lessons" source="Orion">financial lessons</keyword> too. Here are a few cricket-inspired financial wisdoms: It pays to start early In a T20, in the first six overs, also known as power play, the fielding team is allowed to have only two players outside the 30-yard circle. This allows the batting team to strike the ball over the inner fielding circle and score more runs. So, taking risks and putting up a good score during the powerplay, can help you stay ahead throughout the game. Similarly, when it comes to your investments, starting early helps because you can reap the benefits of compounding. Moreover, the number of financial commitments tends to be fewer at this stage, and this could be the best time to inculcate the habit of saving and investing. However, while taking risks is important, it should be well-planned. Taking undue risks can lead to the batsman getting out or your investments taking a beating too early. Never rely on past performance If a batsman scores a lot of runs in one year, or a bowler takes a lot of wickets, it does not mean that the same performance will be repeated next year. The same applies to your investments, especially to those in equity. Let us take the case of small-cap mutual funds. According to Value Research, in 2024 till date, small caps as a category have given a return of 6.44%, while over 1 year it gave a returns of 57.73%. The lesson to learn here is that, just like a good player may have a bad IPL season, certain asset classes can have bad phases too and it is important to keep that in mind while making investment decissions. Diversify your portfolio One or two very good batters or bowlers cannot make a team successful (as RCB and DC fans are well aware). A team needs the right balance of batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders for long-term success. Each player in the team may perform well on different games but the team will win crucial matches if there is a good balance. Similarly, when it comes to your portfolio, it should have the right mix of all asset classes like equity, debt, gold, real estate and so on, according to your circumstances. If your portfolio is highly concentrated in a single asset class, it may suffer at certain times. So, keep your portfolio diversified and balanced. You need a good financial advisor It is not just the players who are in the news in the IPL, the coaches play a very important role too. A team may be good, but the strategies it employs and how it bounces back after a setback have a lot to do with the coach. Rickey Ponting, Tom Moody, Andy Flower, and Mahela Jayawardene are some of the most successful coaches in IPL history. And their contribution to the teams’ success can’t be overstated. Similarly, when it comes to your finances, it is important to take advice from a good financial coach or a financial advisor. They can help you devise a financial plan depending on your risk appetite and goals. A good financial advisor will also help you manage your investments and make prudent decisions even when the markets are not doing well. Review your investments regularly The IPL games are played over 20 overs, but the tournament goes on for about 2 months. This is a pretty long period and the performance of players can fluctuate over this period. In addition, team strategies like the batting order or impact substitutes also need constant fine-tuning. Even within an IPL match, there are two strategic time-outs allotted to revisit the match strategy for both batting and bowling teams. Likewise, it is important for us to regularly review the performance of our investments and make changes accordingly. Review your investments in both short- and long-term, take expert guidance, and periodically make changes as required to increase the odds of long-term success.

Cricket and life: Five financial lessons to learn from IPL

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The English Premier League kicked off this month without key players like Cristiano Ronaldo and N'Golo Kanté.</li><li>They have opted to join the Saudi Pro League instead, which has been poaching the world's best players.</li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-jordan-speith-lebron-james-own-football-clubs-why-2023-8">English Premier League</a> made its return earlier this month, but some familiar faces were notably absent.Big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Jordan Henderson, Riyad Mahrez, Rúben Neves, and N'Golo Kanté were all missing from the pitch. They've joined the dozens of players flocking to the Saudi Pro League in Saudi Arabia. Unprecedented contracts are attracting the stars to the Middle Eastern league, which has spent about $444 million this summer, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66387196" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC reported,</a> citing data from soccer website Transfermarkt.The country has been using its <a href="https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/Pages/Homepage.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$700 billion Public Investment Fund</a> fund to invest in sports, introducing the term <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-sportswashing-liv-golf-saudi-government-2022-7">"sportswashing"</a> — or using sports to distract from a state's authoritarian realities — to the broader public.As of late July, the Saudi Arabian government had spent $6.3 billion on sports deals since 2021, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/26/revealed-saudi-arabia-6bn-spend-on-sportswashing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian reported</a>. <div type="image" title="Brazil reacts after assisting Casemiro #5 on a goal against Colombia during the first half of the friendly at Hard Rock Stadium." height="1333" width="1777" msid="103056289" hostid="261"></div>A number of the players who have made the switch are in the twilight of their careers and are seeking to bank as much money as possible while they can still play.Jordan Henderson, 33, is one of the most notable English stars to have signed a mega-contract with a Saudi club. He'll earn about $880,000 a week at Al-Ettifaq, The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/26/jordan-henderson-trains-with-al-ettifaq-with-transfer-still-to-be-confirmed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported.</a>Another major move was former Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kanté, 32, who won the 2018 World Cup with France. He's earning about $109 million per year in the new league, <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37808428/ngolo-kante-joins-al-ittihad-following-chelsea-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN reported</a>.It all started last November with rumors that <a href="https://www.insider.com/cristiano-ronaldo-close-to-207-million-annual-deal-saudi-arabia-2022-11">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>, one of the most recognizable names in soccer, was close to joining Saudi club Al-Nassr in a deal worth up to $200 million a year. Rumblings turned into reality in December, when Ronaldo confirmed his move, becoming the highest-paid athlete in the world, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2023/05/02/the-worlds-10-highest-paid-athletes-2023/?sh=2bda8c44b156" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a>.Other European leagues have also seen a host of big-money moves.At the end of July, Saudi club Al-Hilal made a record offer to 24-year-old Paris Saint Germain player Kylian Mbappé. The French phenom was offered a contract that could be worth close to $760 million annually, including image rights and commercial arrangements, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/24/kylian-mbappe-al-hilal-world-record-300m-bid-psg-saudi-arabia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a> reported — though he turned down the deal. After failing to get the Mbappé deal over the line, the club locked in on his former teammate and <a href="https://www.insider.com/saudi-arabia-prince-sent-private-boeing-747-jet-neymar-paris-2023-8">Brazil icon Neymar. </a>Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, a billionaire and supporter of the club, flew the former Barcelona star, who is 31 years old, out <a href="https://www.insider.com/saudi-arabia-prince-sent-private-boeing-747-jet-neymar-paris-2023-8">to Saudi Arabia in a private Boeing 747</a> to join the club. The star will reportedly earn $164 million a year.Other major names to have headed to Saudi Arabia include former Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema and former Bayern Munich winger Sadio Mané.<div type="image" title="Steven Gerrard Liverpool" height="996" width="1328" msid="103056294" hostid="261"></div>Spending likely won't slow down over the next month, as the Saudi league's transfer window, or the deadline for which players from other leagues can join a Saudi club, doesn't close until September 20. Saudi Pro League clubs are also targeting high-profile managers in their push to develop the sport in the country.Former <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65889461" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard</a>, who had spells managing Scottish club Rangers and Premier League side Aston Villa, also relocated to the Middle East to manage Al-Ettifaq. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66132139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nuno Espírito Santo</a> has also made the move.It isn't just soccer, either. The PGA, which organizes the most prestigious professional golf tours like the US Open, <a href="https://www.insider.com/pga-liv-golf-tour-merger-winners-losers-pros-cons-koepka-2023-6?_gl=1*18ekqi3*_ga*NDY2MzYxODUxLjE2ODQ3NzE5NDY.*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5MjI5ODA0Ny4yODAuMS4xNjkyMjk4ODg5LjIyLjAuMA..">merged with the Saudi-owned LIV golf tour</a> in June, forming a joint entity that is backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. "Something new is obviously happening" in regards to the Saudi Pro League, Richard Masters, the CEO of the Premier League, told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66296370" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a> last month. But he added that he wasn't "too concerned at the moment" with its recent flurry of activity. "It has taken us 30 years to get to the position that we have in terms of profile, competitiveness and the revenue streams that we have," he added.

The Premier League is missing key players like Cristiano Ronaldo and N'Golo Kanté. They've left for the Saudi Pro League.

<ul><li>In our last feature from the series where we crystal-gazed into 2022 and brought to you some key trends that will impact the industry, we speak to experts from the Indian <keyword id="6357332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gaming" source="Orion">gaming</keyword> industry.</li><li>They share their thoughts of a few big trends that will dominate the industry in 2022.</li></ul>As we enter 2022, we can only look back and wonder at the meteoric rise online gaming has seen in India in the past two years. While gaming had been witnessing growth, albeit a relatively slow one, before the lockdown, it was during the locked-at-home phase that many across the country not only discovered the joys of gaming, but also realised they could make a healthy living out of it. If most reports coming out in the last one year are to be believed, India will see an even faster growth for the industry in the next few years, and now Bharat is joining in this growth. A recent report by <keyword id="7087972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-premier-league" source="Orion">Mobile Premier League</keyword> (MPL), an <keyword id="2440542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="esports" source="Orion">esports</keyword> and skill gaming platform revealed that India’s tier-III cities and towns have witnessed a significant rise in the number of online gamers in 2021. The top 30 of them reported up to 170% more gamers compared to 2020. Some of the small towns have more than 100% to up to 200% growth in online gamers. Another report by Sequoia India and BCG said that while the gaming industry in India is currently smaller than that of the US and China and is 1% of the global gaming market, it is generating $1.5B revenue and is expected to triple to over $5 billion by 2025 on the back of the ‘mobile first’ phenomenon. This massive growth has also led to a new breed of influencers who are being followed by hundreds of thousands of engaged audiences. YouTube’s recently released list of top Indian creators on its platform featured 5 gamers. And things are just about starting to get heated. To understand where this highly dynamic industry is headed in this next year, we reached out to a few prominent voices from the industry and this is what they had to say: Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India &amp; Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) India was a sleeping giant till Covid-19 happened, and now we have established ourselves as a market that cannot be ignored; Stakeholders like the brands, investors, authorities and so on, were just sitting on the fence and observing. But with a market of at least 450 million online gamers, the potential of video games and esports cannot be ignored. The year 2021, has been the inflection point for video games in India. While esports evolves itself into various business models, Non-fungible token (NFT) will be one big trend to watch out for in 2022. Video Games is the best use case for NFTs, customization of the skins, virtual avatars, in-game items/rewards etc. all this already exists in video games (so-called metaverse) and is now starting to be converted into NFTs. One of the key drivers for the meteoric growth of Video Games has been live streaming and esports, and such content creators and/IP holders will eventually look at converting the best of gameplays/streaks/moments into NFTs, which not only help increase monetization for content creators, video game developers etc. but also be a catalyst in terms of retention of fans and users respectively. Anirudh Pandita, Founder, <keyword id="820765" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Loco" source="Orion">Loco</keyword> Gaming has now arrived as a truly mainstream entertainment experience and has become the primary source of entertainment for India’s young generation. 2021 saw the rise of esports and game streaming, and 2022 will see this multiply. In 2021, we saw the arrival of BGMI which all Indian fans were waiting for and in 2022, we will see multiple big publishers release games for India. In 2021, we saw esports go to new heights and we will see continued growth in the sector in the next year as prize money as well as number of games will increase. Game streaming saw the entry of hundreds of thousands of new streamers and millions of viewers, and this trend should accelerate in 2022, with individual streams rivaling those of major traditional sports. Lastly, with blockchain providing interesting use cases, we expect to see interesting new use cases come out to help creators and consumers. We, at Loco, have always aimed at paving the way for gaming to go from a niche hobby to a mainstream national interest- which the year 2021 has helped realize. We are confident that with this, India will cement its place on the global gaming map in 2022. Abhishek Aggarwal, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, <keyword id="12415204" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trinity-gaming" source="Orion">Trinity Gaming</keyword> The gaming industry is progressing, taking complete advantage of the latest developments in technology, software, better internet services, gadgets, cloud technology and more. In the Indian scenario, there is an explosive growth of gamers in this booming industry with creative and engaging content being an important aspect of the system. With more games introduced and with more people joining the pool, more brands are shifting their focus on marketing their brands through these young creators who have an enormous fan following across the age group of 15-30 which is the most targeted audience in advertising terms for both endemic and non-endemic brands. Gaming content has begun to penetrate the Tier II, Tier III locations, and beyond, giving vernacular content creators a chance to grow. With Hindi &amp; Tamil being the two most popular languages in streaming in India, it will surely gain more prominence in the coming time. More people will watch game streaming. Audiences tend to admire their creators and feel more connected to them due to their high level of engagement. The future of gaming beholds a lot and a stronger and classified gaming ecosystem is on the rise. Tarun Gupta, Founder, <keyword id="10820861" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ultimate-battle" source="Orion">Ultimate Battle</keyword> Games and gaming content are highly engaging and we're seeing a huge spike in average and concurrent viewership for gaming content. The consumers are very dynamic and their attention span size has decreased noticeably in GenZ. We see short gaming video content to witness a never seen before hype in the gaming community. The mobile gaming market is expanding in tier 2 and tier 3 cities and we'll witness a rise in engagement in games, viewership, and content creation. Young gamers will play engaging games, consume fast-paced engaging content, and want to socialize with gamers often simultaneously. This will lead to more virtual world socialization among the young generation and higher consumption of gaming content. As such, 2022 will usher higher inclination by brands into the gaming industry to target the young age group of 18 to 25. With many startups and organizations focusing on gaming and esports, we'll see a spike in Esports events and team IPs being created. This will boost the gaming ecosystem in India and open multiple opportunities in careers for gamers and IT professionals. Roland Landers, CEO, <keyword id="3634002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="All-India-Gaming-Federation" source="Orion">All India Gaming Federation</keyword> The Indian gaming industry along with the M&amp;E segment has now become one of the fastest growing sectors in India with around 7.3 Bn downloads in recent years. It has emerged as an important avenue due to a multitude of favorable factors such as young and tech-savvy population, affordable availability of feature-packed smartphones, better internet connectivity, and an overall technological development. The move has also accelerated the growth of multi gaming format in the online gaming space. The Indian gaming industry is expected to reach 3 billion by 2025 and is now projected to grow faster than the global online gaming segment. The industry currently employs 40,000 people in direct jobs and by 2024 the online skill gaming industry is expected to employ around 2 lakh people. This growth will further lead to revenue generation for the country, driven by ease of payment, better security and instant withdrawal of winnings etc. As the regulatory landscape is also evolving and positive judgments are expected from many states, we as an industry leader look forward to an exciting year for this sunrise sector. With its exponential growth, the gaming industry will also attract international investors to invest in the Indian market. Sameer Barde, CEO - E Gaming Federation <div type="image" title="IMG-20220110-WA0005" msid="88826278" hostid="261"></div> Online gaming will become increasingly mainstream and find acceptance as a source of entertainment in 2022. This year, we anticipate a growth rate of over 35 % for the sector as a whole. However, for this to happen, we hope to see government stakeholders accepting the need for regulation to protect the player and industry interests. Increasing monetization and adoption of new-age technology including blockchain and NFTs in the gaming ecosystem will be seen. We expect a larger number of players moving from free-to-play to paying-to-play, in-game purchases, and skill gaming. Industry players will develop new and exciting games for users based on traditional games and Indian themes, keeping the PM’s vision in mind. Additionally, e-Sports being a medal sport in the forthcoming Asian Games in September will result in a significant increase both in terms of acceptance and interest. All in all, we at EGF are excited and believe that this will be a bellwether year for the entire industry. Bhavin Pandya, CEO and Co-Founder, <keyword id="8913431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Games24x7" source="Orion">Games24x7</keyword> The Indian online skill gaming industry is poised for tremendous growth. With the right support particularly in the form of progressive policy structures, gaming can spur a second software revolution in India. As of today, this industry offers direct employment to almost 50,000 people. It is also a major source of taxation for the exchequer. In addition, the sector has multiplier benefits for several other domains including fintech, banking, semiconductors, animation, and other aspects of Information Technology. The sector has witnessed significant investments from marquee international investors and accounts of several Unicorns. With the right encouragement and support, India can emerge as a global pioneer in gaming technology. Ankur Singh, CEO and Founder, Witzeal We believe that the gaming sector will continue to expand with the high end adoption of AI and data science to understand and provide users experiences they wish for. Future of gaming will likely be based upon newer technologies like Blockchain and its active usage would prove fruitful in the years to come. Another key trend to look forward to is the penetration of gaming in rural areas because the penetration of internet and smartphones is on a gradual rise. Yashash Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO, <keyword id="3212361" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gamezop" source="Orion">Gamezop</keyword> <div type="image" title="RIC_8498" msid="88758667" hostid="261"></div> Blockchain gaming is shaping up to be a very interesting space. We are already seeing very interesting games emerge with blockchain and NFTs at the heart of all the action. Games like Axie Infinity have popularized the Play to Earn mechanic and they have been able to scale engagement as well as monetization to huge numbers. Take it one step further and we see that decentralization is fundamentally changing how companies operate: all the way from raising money, to day-to-day governance. This is most notable in DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organisations), which follow a bottom-up, community-driven management style. We are excited to see the blockchain gaming projects that emerge from India! Vaibhav Odhekar, COO &amp; Co-Founder, <keyword id="2734866" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="POKKT" source="Orion">POKKT</keyword> The gaming industry is constantly evolving, and its popularity will continue to rise. In the last three years, the sector has welcomed 500 million new gamers globally. New technological breakthroughs such as virtual reality have provided another dimension towards entertainment in this domain. For many young folks, the industry has also become a viable career option. Talking about the trends- The audience will continue to diversify in the coming years. So, instead of a male/female audience bias, we'll have a nearly 50-50 gender split, with a lot more older people joining the online gaming space. India is expected to create more global content. Although the percentage is extremely low right now, as more high-quality content is created in India, the trend will improve. Also, e-Sports as a category will grow in popularity. In 2022, there will be a significant increase in the number of movies released worldwide. So, the biggest trend we anticipate to see is a lot more games based on movie franchises. Gaming has its own history of adapting films and gamers are enthralled by such games. Video games are a vast medium that covers a wide variety of genres and experiences that can only be experienced in games, along with contributions from a population from all over the world. Even while many modern games are inspired by movies, they are nevertheless unique in their own way and we expect them to expand in the coming years.

Gaming: What to expect from the Indian gaming and e-sports industry in 2022

<ul><li><keyword id="7087972" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-premier-league">Mobile Premier League</keyword> had plans of spending 40% of its marketing budget on <keyword id="6354312" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> this year.</li><li>With the suspension of the league, we speak to <keyword id="6176095" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Abhishek-Madhavan">Abhishek Madhavan</keyword>, Senior Vice President, Growth and Marketing, MPL who tells us how the brand plans to communicate with its consumers now, and what its plans to grow the business further is.</li></ul>The <keyword id="6357332" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gaming">gaming</keyword> and esports sector in India has been witnessing good growth in India, thanks to improved accessibility in technology and cheaper internet. That investors and venture capitalists are putting in monies in the sector is further proof that there is a huge opportunity. A recent report by <keyword id="274082" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maple-Capital-Advisors">Maple Capital Advisors</keyword> stated that the Indian gaming sector saw investments of around $544 million between the August 2020 and January 2021 period, a number that is expected to double over the next 12-18 months on the back of higher user awareness and accelerated engagement. Over the past few years, we have seen a number of e-gaming players enter the market. Many of these have been spending substantial amounts on advertising too. One such player, Mobile Premier League (MPL), announced in February this year that it had raised $95 million in a Series D round of funding, bringing its value to $945 million after raising. With this fresh round of funding, MPL planned to expand its eSports portfolio and bolster its efforts to organize more eSports tournaments nationally and internationally at scale. It is also looking at accelerating its international expansion this year. Last month, MPL also acquired esports gaming platform <keyword id="6231572" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="GamingMonk">GamingMonk</keyword> that hosts esports tournaments across multiple platforms. MPL had invested on the Indian Premier League last year and reaped impressive results, it saw the number of gamers on its platform go up 7X post IPL so this year too, the platform had launched an aggressive campaign to grab maximum eyeballs during the league. However, with the suspension of the league, how does it impact its marketing plans for the rest of the year? We spoke to Abhishek Madhavan, Senior Vice President, Growth and Marketing, MPL who told us how the year has been so far for the platform and what more we can expect from it through the rest of the year. Excerpts: <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) We had thought 2020 was a difficult year but 2021 has been an even difficult one so far. How has the year been so far for MPL from a business standpoint?" text="Q) We had thought 2020 was a difficult year but 2021 has been an even difficult one so far. How has the year been so far for MPL from a business standpoint?">Q) We had thought 2020 was a difficult year but 2021 has been an even difficult one so far. How has the year been so far for MPL from a business standpoint?</cmsannotation> It’s been quite a year in general. What the country is witnessing is unprecedented and right now, our focus is on trying to do our bit in helping out and ensuring that our employees and their families are safe. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) In terms of growth, the pandemic had led to a lot of people staying at home, exploring newer ways of keeping themselves entertained and fantasy gaming benefited from that. What kind of growth have you witnessed in the last one year?" text="Q) In terms of growth, the pandemic had led to a lot of people staying at home, exploring newer ways of keeping themselves entertained and fantasy gaming benefited from that. What kind of growth have you witnessed in the last one year?">Q) In terms of growth, the pandemic had led to a lot of people staying at home, exploring newer ways of keeping themselves entertained and fantasy gaming benefited from that. What kind of growth have you witnessed in the last one year?</cmsannotation> Last year’s lockdown due to the pandemic was a black swan event that nobody could have foreseen. Yet, it did help the gaming industry as people explored their skills by taking to gaming platforms from their homes. However, pure fantasy apps were affected due to the lack of live sporting action last year. That being said, we added over 3 crore users on MPL last year. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) You were supposed to spend 40% of our ad budget on IPL. As the league stands postponed indefinitely, how are you modifying your marketing plans for the rest of the year?" text="Q) You were supposed to spend 40% of our ad budget on IPL. As the league stands postponed indefinitely, how are you modifying your marketing plans for the rest of the year?">Q) You were supposed to spend 40% of our ad budget on IPL. As the league stands postponed indefinitely, how are you modifying your marketing plans for the rest of the year?</cmsannotation> We will be back on IPL media properties whenever the league returns. However, since our business is not IPL dependent, we are looking at other conventional media channels to run our brand campaigns on, at the moment. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) You had an aim of increasing your user base to 10 crore by the end of the league. How do you aim to achieve this target now?" text="Q) You had an aim of increasing your user base to 10 crore by the end of the league. How do you aim to achieve this target now?">Q) You had an aim of increasing your user base to 10 crore by the end of the league. How do you aim to achieve this target now?</cmsannotation> We are a gaming platform. And while the IPL definitely helps us, what we offer our users goes beyond just fantasy sports. There are over 50 games on MPL across categories like esports, casual, fantasy, etc, and once things get better for the country, you will hear from us on our campaigns. Right now, our focus is on helping the situation get better in whatever way we can. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) What kind of growth had you seen from associating with IPL last year?" text="Q) What kind of growth had you seen from associating with IPL last year?">Q) What kind of growth had you seen from associating with IPL last year?</cmsannotation> Last year’s IPL broke viewership records and we too benefited from our partnerships and associations with teams such as KKR and RCB. We engaged our gamers with activities such as player meet-and-greets, special contests, and giveaways. During IPL 2020, the number of fantasy gamers on MPL increased by 7 times compared to pre-IPL, and the number of daily installs of the MPL app increased by 100% compared to pre-IPL 2020. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) In the last few years, there has been a boom of fantasy gaming platforms in India. How are you differentiating yourself?" text="Q) In the last few years, there has been a boom of fantasy gaming platforms in India. How are you differentiating yourself?">Q) In the last few years, there has been a boom of fantasy gaming platforms in India. How are you differentiating yourself?</cmsannotation> We are a full-fledged gaming platform with a 365-day value proposition and we aren’t a fantasy app that is dependent on sport seasons or leagues. With our wide variety of games and features, we attract a wide range of users above the age of 18, going all the way to ages 60 and above. Gamers can find all kinds of games on our platform, along with social features to connect with the gaming community. We are also organising fortnightly esports tournaments in games such as Chess, World Cricket Championship, etc, and entry to these tournaments is absolutely free, with lakhs in prize money up for grabs. We are also live-streaming these tournaments to millions of viewers through our social media handles. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) Where do you think MPL's next phase of growth will come from?" text="Q) Where do you think MPL's next phase of growth will come from?">Q) Where do you think MPL's next phase of growth will come from?</cmsannotation> Esports is currently on the upswing in India and across the world. We think India has an abundance of talent in esports and mobile esports is the best way forward in recognising and honing this vast talent pool. Esports being recognised by traditional sports competitions like the Asian Games is a big boost for this sector. We aim to take esports to the masses via our mobile application and are geared for the growth coming in from this sector. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) Will you continue with your Hain Akal Khelo MPL campaign despite IPL's suspension considering it had been gaining traction?" text="Q) Will you continue with your Hain Akal Khelo MPL campaign despite IPL's suspension considering it had been gaining traction?">Q) Will you continue with your Hain Akal Khelo MPL campaign despite IPL's suspension considering it had been gaining traction?</cmsannotation> The core message behind the ‘Hain Akal Khelo MPL’ campaign is that fantasy sports require skill and knowledge of the game. While we launched it along with the IPL, the campaign continues to run as the core message applies to all fantasy sports. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) What is your vision for MPL? Where do you want to see it in the next few years?" text="Q) What is your vision for MPL? Where do you want to see it in the next few years?">Q) What is your vision for MPL? Where do you want to see it in the next few years?</cmsannotation> We want to be the world’s biggest esports and skill gaming platform. That is the vision we have right from the start and we feel India is poised to become a global leader in esports. We have a great number of skilled game developers who can make games for the world and we have so many gamers who are waiting for an opportunity to excel in esports. By bringing them together on our platform, we can exhibit India’s prowess to the world. Our Indonesia business is doing really well and this has encouraged us to plan to expand to other geographies as we march towards realizing our vision.

We will be back on IPL media properties whenever the league returns: Abhishek Madhavan, Mobile Premier League

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A consortium led by a Saudi investment fund just purchased a struggling English soccer team.</li><li>The takeover comes after the deal faced months of delays, and has prompted backlash. </li></ul>A consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has purchased a struggling team in England's <keyword id="11895950" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="premier-league" source="Orion">Premier League</keyword> after months of delays, the league <a href="https://www.premierleague.com/news/2283712">confirmed</a> on Thursday. The $409 million purchase of 128-year-old <keyword id="12266380" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="newcastle-united" source="Orion">Newcastle United</keyword> terminates billionaire Mike Ashley's ownership of the team, which spanned 14 years, according to a CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/07/saudi-wealth-fund-buys-englands-newcastle-united-soccer-team.html">report</a>. Now, 80% of the team is owned by the Saudi consortium, 10% is owned by PCP Capital Partners, and 10% is owned by developers Simon and David Reuben, the report said. It's a deal long in the making. In 2020, a potential takeover was abandoned because the consortium couldn't prove enough separation between themselves and the Saudi state, which also banned Qatar's Middle Eastern Premier League rights holder beIN Sport from airing matches, the report said. The ban has since been lifted. But before the purchase finally became official on Thursday, it had faced sharp criticism and raised eyebrows among human-rights groups, directed at concerns over the Saudi state's rights records, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/amnesty-voices-human-rights-concerns-saudi-takeover-newcastle-looms-2021-10-07/">reported</a> on Thursday. "Ever since this deal was first talked about we said it represented a clear attempt by the Saudi authorities to sportswash their appalling human rights record with the glamour of top-flight football," said Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK's CEO, in a <a href="https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-saudi-backed-bid-newcastle-united-must-prompt-football-ownership-rule-changes">statement</a> on Thursday. He added, "Instead of allowing those implicated in serious human rights violations to walk into English football simply because they have deep pockets, we've urged the Premier League to change their owners' and directors' test to address human rights issues." In separate remarks, the fiancée of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi had urged the Premier League not to approve the sale. "Only a few days after the third anniversary of Jamal's murder, it is horrifying to learn that the Crown Prince is on the brink of getting what he wants: to wash his reputation, and sully the name of <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword>," Hatice Cengiz told the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/10/07/assassinated-journalists-widow-urges-premier-league-not-cave/">Daily Telegraph.</a> Khashoggi was murdered by agents of his own government in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, Insider previously <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jake-sullivan-meets-mbs-days-before-anniversary-of-khasshogis-murder-2021-9">reported</a>. In February, the Biden administration released a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-report-on-khashoggi-killing-directly-implicates-saudi-arabia-mbs-2021-2">declassified US intelligence report</a> that explicitly implicated the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Khashoggi's killing.Fans of the team, however, appear to be in favor of the purchase after showing frustration for Ashley's ownership, and <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1446158581598916617?s=20">could be seen on social media</a> celebrating outside the stadium, St James' Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. And a survey by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust found 94% of its members supported the takeover, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/newcastle-bid-suits-saudi-more-than-uk-soccer-2021-10-07/">reported</a> on Thursday. The Supporters Trust did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. Chaired by the Crown Prince, the Saudi's Public Investment Fund is at the forefront of the kingdom's attempt to diversify its economy beyond oil, Reuters said. "Today's announcement is the conclusion of a thorough and detailed process that has allowed the Investment Group to arrive at a deal that benefits all stakeholders and will leave Newcastle United well-placed to pursue a clear, long-term strategy," the PIF said in a <a href="https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=202">statement</a>.The Premier League, however, said it received "legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control" the team. "All parties have agreed the settlement is necessary to end the long uncertainty for fans over the club's ownership," the Premier League said in a statement. "All parties are pleased to have concluded this process which gives certainty and clarity to Newcastle United Football Club and their fans." The Premier League did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

A Saudi Arabian investment fund bought a struggling English soccer team, and human-rights activists are crying foul

<ul><li>This year saw many new-age platforms invest on <keyword id="6354312" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword>. Now with its suspension, brands are reworking on their marketing strategies for the ret of the year.</li><li><keyword id="10245463" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="coinswitch-kuber">CoinSwitch Kuber</keyword>, which saw its registrations go up by 4X after its IPL ads, now wants to focus on creating unique campaigns that would get crypto mainstream attention like mutual funds or stocks do, engage with thought-leaders in the finance space and come up with more social media-led influencer marketing to reach out to its target audience, <keyword id="10180576" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ashish-singhal">Ashish Singhal</keyword>, CEO and Co-founder, CoinSwitch Kuber. </li></ul>Every year, the <keyword id="6354831" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</keyword> (IPL) becomes an advertising blitzkrieg that more and more brands want to invest in. Owing to the fact that the league has massive following across the country, it becomes one of the most effective properties to associate with, if you are trying to build awareness amongst consumers. For the last two years, we have been seeing more and more digital-first brands come on board as advertisers and sponsors to make the most of this advertising extravaganza and this year was no different. This year, Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the VIVO IPL 2021 had roped in 18 sponsors and over 100 advertisers across multiple brand categories. We saw several new-age brands from categories ranging from e-commerce, gaming, edu-tech and e-wallets go all out with high-decibel campaigns. Even brands from categories like <keyword id="11278990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="crypto-investment">crypto investment</keyword> platforms joined the brandwagon, to educate people about its offerings and build awareness among its target audience. This year, CoinSwitch Kuber, a crypto investment platform, launched its IPL campaign right at the start of the league on Disney+ Hotstar. The campaign, ‘Trade Kar, Befikar’ which featured actor <keyword id="696531" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kunaal-Roy-Kapur">Kunaal Roy Kapur</keyword> had been conceptualised by KV Sridhar aka Pops-led Nihilent. The brand was the first from the space to launch an extensive campaign. The ad was aimed at young, tech-savvy Indian consumers who are open to experiment when it comes to investments. Its attempt was to evangelize cryptocurrencies as an alternate asset class and build equity amongst Indian investors. While the aim was to build awareness around the platform with the IPL campaign, the league's suspension brought the brand's plans to a halt. However, it already has a plan in place on how it wants to reach out to its audiences now. We recently caught up with Ashish Singhal, CEO and Co-founder, CoinSwitch Kuber to understand the brand's strategies to grow its presence in the segment. We also spoke to Singhal about its marketing plans, now that there is an uncertainty about whether IPL will be played at all this year. Here's what he had to say: Excerpts: <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) Cryptocurrency is still very new as an investment option in India and people aren't really sure how it all works. What has your experience been so far? How have you been educating consumers?" text="Q) Cryptocurrency is still very new as an investment option in India and people aren't really sure how it all works. What has your experience been so far? How have you been educating consumers?">Q) Cryptocurrency is still very new as an investment option in India and people aren't really sure how it all works. What has your experience been so far? How have you been educating consumers?</cmsannotation> Cryptocurrencies in India are still at a very nascent stage but have been gaining a lot of traction lately. As a platform, we have been heavily investing in user education. A huge chunk from our recent funding rounds would go towards providing investors with the right information about cryptocurrencies, clarifying their most common doubts and explaining how they can safely invest in this new asset class. We have recently launched a slew of initiatives including video campaigns, Ads on Disney+ Hotstar, partnership with OTT platforms like TVF. Along with this, we are also revamping the content on our blog KuberVerse and YouTube channel to educate our users about crypto, investing and blockchain. We have increased the usage of infographics in our communication for easy understanding and have tried to incorporate vernacular content as well. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) Your ads had been running from the very beginning of IPL. What kind of response did you get? Was there a visible increase in your download numbers post IPL?" text="Q) Your ads had been running from the very beginning of IPL. What kind of response did you get? Was there a visible increase in your download numbers post IPL?">Q) Your ads had been running from the very beginning of IPL. What kind of response did you get? Was there a visible increase in your download numbers post IPL?</cmsannotation> The response to our ads has been great. It was our effort to create greater visibility and awareness for crypto as an asset class. This,along with the simplicity that our platform offers has attracted a lot of users. CoinSwitchKuber’s registrations have gone up by 4x. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) What part of your annual marketing budget had you invested on IPL?" text="Q) What part of your annual marketing budget had you invested on IPL?">Q) What part of your annual marketing budget had you invested on IPL?</cmsannotation> We had planned to allocate 20% of our annual marketing budget to this. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) With the suspension of IPL, what will your marketing strategy for the rest of the year look like?" text="Q) With the suspension of IPL, what will your marketing strategy for the rest of the year look like?">Q) With the suspension of IPL, what will your marketing strategy for the rest of the year look like?</cmsannotation> With IPL cancelled halfway through, we are exploring other swim lanes to gauge user attention and educate them about crypto. Our strategy would now revolve around the following: 1) We will fundamentally focus on understanding users about their needs and how their needs are evolving. 2) Focus on unique campaigns that would get crypto mainstream attention as mutual funds or stocks do. 3) Engage with thought-leaders in the finance space. 4)Social media-led influencer marketing will be important for us. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) It's been close to a year since the launch of CoinSwitch Kuber. Walk us through your experience so far. What kind of uptake have you seen so far?" text="Q) It's been close to a year since the launch of CoinSwitch Kuber. Walk us through your experience so far. What kind of uptake have you seen so far?">Q) It's been close to a year since the launch of CoinSwitch Kuber. Walk us through your experience so far. What kind of uptake have you seen so far? </cmsannotation> Within just 10 months of our launch, CoinSwitch Kuber has become India’s largest cryptocurrency investment platform. In the last 3 months, we have registered a growth of 400%. We are backed by some of the leading investors such as Tiger Global, Paradigm, Ribbit Capital and Sequoia India, some of who have played a key role in building the global crypto industry. At present, we have over 5 million users on our platform and hope to onboard 15 million users by the end of this year. We also plan to double our team headcount from 150 to 300. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) Can you give me a sense of your consumer demographics, in terms of age, gender, geographies? Do you anticipate people from smaller cities will open up to investing on your platform too, in the near future?" text="Q) Can you give me a sense of your consumer demographics, in terms of age, gender, geographies? Do you anticipate people from smaller cities will open up to investing on your platform too, in the near future?">Q) Can you give me a sense of your consumer demographics, in terms of age, gender, geographies? Do you anticipate people from smaller cities will open up to investing on your platform too, in the near future?</cmsannotation> While the majority of our users are below 35, we have also been witnessing a lot of traction from senior citizens and users above 45 years of age who are keen to explore this asset class. Interestingly, as much as 45% of users come from smaller cities (Tier 2 and Tier 3). <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q) People are still trying to find their way around cryptocurrency. How safe is it for people to invest in cryptocurrency, considering the government hasn't yet come up with clear guidelines?" text="Q) People are still trying to find their way around cryptocurrency. How safe is it for people to invest in cryptocurrency, considering the government hasn't yet come up with clear guidelines?">Q) People are still trying to find their way around cryptocurrency. How safe is it for people to invest in cryptocurrency, considering the government hasn't yet come up with clear guidelines?</cmsannotation> Investing in cryptocurrencies is similar to investing in any other asset class and one should invest the amount basis their risk appetite, a fact that holds true for stocks as well. When regulated, crypto will immensely contribute towards the Indian economy and we are hopeful that the regulators are taking cognizance of this fact.

After our IPL campaign, registrations have gone up by 4X: Ashish Singhal, CoinSwitch Kuber

<ul><li><keyword id="7087972" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-premier-league">Mobile Premier League</keyword> will be the principal sponsor for both the Knight Riders Franchises in IPL &amp; CPL - <keyword id="6354467" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kolkata-Knight-Riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</keyword> (KKR) and <keyword id="3240868" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trinbago-Knight-Riders">Trinbago Knight Riders</keyword> (TKR).</li><li>While CPL is scheduled to start on August 18, 2020 and conclude on September 10, 2020 in Trinidad, IPL will start on September 19, 2020 in UAE and conclude on Nov 10, 2020.</li></ul> The Knight Riders and Mobile Premier League (MPL) has announced that MPL will be the principal sponsor for both the Knight Riders Franchises in IPL &amp; CPL - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR). <keyword id="433176" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Venky-Mysore">Venky Mysore</keyword>, CEO &amp; MD, Knight Riders said, “We are very excited to partner with MPL, which is a vibrant Indian start-up company promoted and run by a group of young and innovative people, in Esports and Gaming, that is bound to grow significantly. Our partnership across KKR in IPL and TKR in CPL, will create new opportunities to socialise and activate our partnership. <keyword id="6176095" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Abhishek-Madhavan">Abhishek Madhavan</keyword>, VP, Growth and Marketing, MPL, said, “We are excited to be the principal sponsors for Kolkata Knight Riders. The team has been a household name right from the start and have won the prestigious IPL championship twice. They have some stellar players and the team competes to win, which is what MPL is all about as well, so it is the perfect marriage that will help us take our brand to more users. With Trinbago Knight Riders, one of the strongest teams, having won the CPL Championship three times, as its sister franchise, this association will help us take MPL to the international sports arena.” CPL is scheduled to start on August 18, 2020 and conclude on September 10, 2020 in Trinidad, which will feature three-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) and five other teams. IPL is scheduled to start on September 19, 2020 in UAE and conclude on Nov 10, 2020, which will feature two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and seven other teams.

Mobile Premier League is the principal sponsor for KKR and TKR for IPL and CPL

<ul><li><keyword id="6422069" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-gaming">Online gaming</keyword> is growing in India by leaps and bounds. The pandemic has given the industry a further boost.</li><li>During the past few months, many homegrown gaming platforms have seen unprecedented growth.</li><li>Founded in 2018, <keyword id="7087972" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-premier-league">Mobile Premier League</keyword> has also witnessed a good growth, with many of its users coming from Tier II and Tier III cities.</li><li><keyword id="6176095" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Abhishek-Madhavan">Abhishek Madhavan</keyword>, VP, Growth and Marketing, MPL tells us about the platform's journey so far and how its plans to grow its presence further.</li></ul> The online gaming industry in India is booming. Even before the pandemic hit, and people took to online games, the Indian gaming industry was growing at a healthy speed. <keyword id="906162" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-gaming">Mobile gaming</keyword> in India has been growing at a rapid rate due to development as well as smartphones becoming more affordable. According to Statista, the market value of mobile gaming in India was estimated to reach about $405 million by 2022. The number of mobile phone gamers was anticipated to be around 628 million by 2020 according to the forecast. Another report by investment bank Maple Capital Advisors titled Gaming – India Story stated that by 2024, the overall gaming industry in India is set to be valued at $3,750 million. The lockdown, while hitting most industries hard, has come as a boost for the Indian gaming industry. In the past few months, we have seen people not just take to offline games to spend time with family, a lot of them are enjoying their me-time playing different kinds of online games. Made-in-India games like Ludo King have witnessed an unprecedented growth, not just in India but even outside India. One such gaming platform that has witnessed an unprecedented growth during these last few months is Mobile Premier League (MPL). Not only is MPL sponsoring teams in leagues like IPL, it recently made news when it announced that it will be the presenting sponsor for <keyword id="8654765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bigg-boss-2020">Bigg Boss 2020</keyword>. The platform is also witnessing a huge demand from smaller cities. Currently, it has over 40 million registered users in India and around 3 million registered users in Indonesia. Having Sequoia, Go Ventures, Times Internet, RTP Global, BeeNext, Venture Highway as its investors, the startup has raised a total of $40.5 million till date. We recently caught up Abhishek Madhavan, VP, Growth and Marketing, MPL to understand the factors that have led to his growth and their plans for the future. Excerpts: Q) The lockdown has come as a blessing in disguise for the gaming industry. What kind of growth has MPL witnessed in the last few months? We witnessed 3-4x overall growth over this period. Number of games played per day for some of our popular titles like WCC increased by 400%. We also saw that new users coming onto our platform played 3-4 different games on average. Q) There has been an overall increase in people taking up gaming from smaller cities. What kind of growth have you witnessed coming in from smaller cities and what are the factors that have accelerated this growth? MPL has always had a substantial presence in Tier II and Tier III cities across the country. A lot of the growth of gaming in smaller cities can be attributed to 4G data and smartphones easily available to more people. We also foresee more growth in this regard as internet and smartphone penetration increases across the country. One of our first digital sports scholars, VS Rathanvel is from Coimbatore and he won the first Chess Mahayudhorganised by MPL in July 2019. The runner-up in the same competition was Ankit Rajpara, who is from Mehsana in Gujarat. Q) What is your revenue model right now? What kind of increase have you seen in in-app purchases in recent months? Are you witnessing people from smaller cities also spend money on gaming? MPL is a gaming platform and we charge a platform fee for paid contests/tournaments. All our games are also available for free. We have seen an increase in our users participating in paid contests and tournaments. Q) How have you been marketing your platform? We just partnered with Kolkata Knight Riders and its sister franchise in the Caribbean- Trinbago Knight Riders - as their principal sponsor. Recently, we even sponsored the Irish Men’s Cricket team for the ODI series against England. These are some of our current marquee brand marketing activities. We also command a good presence in television and digital advertisements and we ensure that the messaging is simple, honest and that it resonates with our audience. Q) Where do you think the next phase of growth for MPL will come from? We are a platform, with a variety of games and content cutting across categories. We will look to add more games from various game developers. Our live-streaming feature for audio and video has also picked up so we are excited about that as well. Q) Where does India rank when it comes to growth in online gaming? Esports has taken off in the country and we have even won a Bronze medal in the Asian Games 2018, where they had esports for the first time. We have a lot of talent in gaming and esports and with the industry becoming mainstream, we can hope to do better on the world stage. Q) What is your vision for MPL? We aim to become a one-stop shop platform for gamers and game developers. We already have 50+ games on our app and have over 15 gaming studios as our developer partners. We want to work with more and more indigenous game developers and give them a platform to showcase their games to our user base. The more the number of quality games, the more our users will have a great experience on the platform.

You Searched For "mobile premier league investments" and got 10 results

From spotlight on uncapped stars to big releases, a look at key takeways from latest IPL retention lists

ANI

Funding 'John Wick' kick-started Eva Longoria's investing career. Now, it's her day job.

Jason Guerrasio

Cricket and life: Five financial lessons to learn from IPL

Anagh Pal

The Premier League is missing key players like Cristiano Ronaldo and N'Golo Kanté. They've left for the Saudi Pro League.

Will Gendron,Nathan Rennolds

Gaming: What to expect from the Indian gaming and e-sports industry in 2022

Samarpita Banerjee

We will be back on IPL media properties whenever the league returns: Abhishek Madhavan, Mobile Premier League

Samarpita Banerjee

A Saudi Arabian investment fund bought a struggling English soccer team, and human-rights activists are crying foul

Jake Epstein

After our IPL campaign, registrations have gone up by 4X: Ashish Singhal, CoinSwitch Kuber

Samarpita Banerjee

Mobile Premier League is the principal sponsor for KKR and TKR for IPL and CPL

Team BI India

Mobile Premier League wants to give a boost to indigenous game developers by showcasing their games to its wide set of audience

Samarpita Banerjee

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