Kya Hoga Iss Baar: Sony’s marketing campaign for India-England series

Sony Pictures Network India has unveiled its grand plans for the India-England series broadcast.

With over 200 days of international cricket under its belt, Sony Pictures Networks has announced its all-star panel line-up and programming initiatives for the 80-day tour beginning from 3rd July.

The official and exclusive broadcaster of the India-England series, Sony has also released its campaign Kya Hoga Iss Baar.

The series, spanning over two months, comprises three T20s, three ODIs and five Test matches which will be played across nine venues in the U.K.

SPN’s celebrated live wraparound show, Extraaa Innings comes back for the high-octane bilateral cricket series, between two of the best cricket teams in the world, with a whole new look. Apart from the rethought set design, the show will now feature personality-driven segments for a healthy dose of entertainment and increased fan engagement to bring the Indian touch to the analyses, Sony Pictures Network has stated in a Press release.

Showcasing pre-, mid- and post-match analyses of the tour, Extraaa Innings will feature expert insights from an impressive line-up of cricketing personalities like Sourav Ganguly, Ashish Nehra, Sanjay Manjrekar, Graeme Swann, Sunil Gavaskar, Harsha Bhogle, Gaurav Kapur, Deep Dasgupta, Vivek Razdan and Alan Wilkins. To ensure an unparalleled viewing experience for fans across India, the series will be broadcast with English and Hindi commentary on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 3 channels respectively.

The Sports cluster of SPN also unveiled its marketing campaign, Kya Hoga Iss Baar. The 40-second campaign film has been inspired by the uncertainty that comes when India tours England. Every time India has toured England, the results have bordered on extreme. From ecstatic and memorable victories to forgettable defeats (especially in Tests), Indians have witnessed it all.

Kya Hoga Iss Baar (What would happen this time around?) was the obvious question that was asked about the upcoming tour. This message has been conveyed in a tongue-in-cheek way while building enough intrigue for viewers to tune in. The film ends with a cheeky line with reference to the incident during India’s famous NatWest trophy win when Ganguly waved his shirt from the balcony at Lord’s.

The film showcases snapshots of fans watching India play against England, while they are at a restaurant, working out at the gym and working in the kitchen or office. It captures the heightened emotions of fans on the unpredictable trajectory of outcomes whenever India faces England at their home advantage and ends on an optimistic note that while the game may be unpredictable, the outcome is sure to be in India’s favour.

Rajesh Kaul, President, Distribution and Sports Business, Sony Pictures Network India said, “The Sports channels of SPN is the one-stop destination for all the cricket lovers with more than 200 days of cricket planned over the next 9 months. Our aim is to ensure an enhanced viewing experience for our audience with an expert panel of Indian legends who have played the game of cricket and a new unique look for our flagship live studio show, Extraaa Innings.”

Sourav Ganguly, Panellist & Commentator, India Tour of England 2018, said “The conditions in England have proven to be tough for many Indian teams in the past. However, with the fantastic form of the team this year, I think we are in for a closely contested series. I have a lot of fond memories of playing in England and I can’t wait to share my thoughts and engage with cricket fans throughout the tour as a commentator for SPN.”

With broadcast rights for the ongoing India tour of Ireland, upcoming India tour of England and India tour of Australia, SPN’s strong sports portfolio has been exciting for cricket enthusiasts in India. Fans can enjoy over 200 days of cricket over the next nine months with various non-India, but high octane cricket fixtures like West Indies vs Bangladesh, Tri Series Zimbabwe-Australia-Pakistan, Zimbabwe vs Pakistan, Sri Lanka vs South Africa, South Africa vs Zimbabwe, Pakistan vs Australia, Sri Lanka vs England, Australia vs South Africa, Pakistan vs New Zealand and South Africa vs Pakistan.

Kya Hoga Iss Baar: Sony’s marketing campaign for India-England series

UEFA Alcohol Regulations: Amendment to benefit partner Heineken

UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, has amended its regulation regarding the distribution and consumption of alcohol within stadiums during matches that fall under its jurisdiction. This means that local and national laws will now be applied at match venues. The lenient stand will help UEFA partner Heineken.

The amendment to the rules, ratified by UEFA executive committee in a meeting last month, will now allow fans at Champions League and Europa League matches enjoy alcohol from the next season.

The amendment will be a boon not just for the fans but also for the Dutch beer brand and UEFA’s official partner Heineken, which for a long time was not able to capitalize from the sale of beer in the stadiums.

The changed regulations apply to the UEFA-run club and national competitions including the Champions League, Europa League, European Championships and Uefa Super Cup.

The decision to alter Article 36 of UEFA’s 2006 Safety and Security Regulations means that grounds will now be permitted to sell and serve alcohol at European matches in line with the local procedure and prevailing national laws from the beginning of the 2018-19 season.

The amendment to Article 36 is now read as follows: “The match organiser may only sell or distribute alcohol within the stadium or its private environs if and within the limits permitted under the national and local law as applicable from time to time.”

Earlier, no public sale or distribution of alcohol was permitted within the stadium, while all non-alcoholic drinks had to be served in paper or plastic containers. However, the regulations did not apply to VIP areas, where alcohol was served openly.

English football fans, however, will not benefit from the changed regulations as their national laws do not permit consumption of alcohol in stadiums.

Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which represents fans across the continent, has issued a statement welcoming the change.

FSE CEO Ronan Evain said, “For a long time football supporters have felt unfairly treated in comparison with fans of other sports like rugby, to say the least. It is not the sport you follow which makes you behave better or worse. Furthermore, the alcohol ban did not apply to VIP areas at football matches, causing a two-class society even within the stadia.

“Supporters felt that the alcohol banning policy was paternalistic, as there is absolutely no evidence or research to suggest that banning alcohol in a stadium has any bearing whatsoever on preventing or curtailing football-related disorder in and around it.”

“More broadly, this decision shows the potential for UEFA to adopt a country-by-country policy based on the specifics of existing domestic legislation and local football culture.”

UEFA Alcohol Regulations: Amendment to benefit partner Heineken

Sports Sponsorship: Bayern Munich extends deal with Beats by Dr. Dre

German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have extended their partnership with eminent headphones and speakers brand Beats by Dr. Dre, founded by music producer and rapper Dr. Dre and Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine.

Beats by Dr. Dre will continue to serve as the German football club’s official ‘fourth level’ partner until June 2019. The two parties had partnered in 2015, the year after the brand was acquired by US technology giant Apple Inc.

The premium audio products manufacturer will continue to supply the German champions with high-quality headphones and loudspeakers. Until the end of 2018-19 season

Bayern Munich has said in a statement that the products from Beats by Dr. Dre have long been an important element of mental preparation for training and competition for FC Bayern stars as well as many other top athletes worldwide.

Bayern Munich fans are also set to benefit from this partnership. Two Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, signed by Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich and Arturo Vidal, in exclusive and strictly limited ‘Mia san mia’ design are up for grabs in a contest announced by the club.

Sports Sponsorship: Bayern Munich extends deal with Beats by Dr. Dre

Sports Sponsorship: Li-Ning signs 3-year deal with ITTF

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has agreed to a three-year partnership with Chinese sportswear manufacturer Li-Ning. Under the deal, Li-Ning will serve as the ITTF’s official umpire and referee apparel sponsor from 2018 to 2020.

The contract has already seen Li-Ning provide new uniforms for ITTF umpires and referees at the 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships, which were held in Halmstad, Sweden from April 29 to May 6, as well as three World Tour events in Hong Kong, China and Japan earlier this month.

Li-Ning will gradually roll out its apparel to all ITTF events between 2018 and 2020, including the World Tour and World Cups.

Li-Ning’s manager of the brand project management centre, Zhang Xiangdu, said: “Since our establishment in 1990, the concept of ‘consumer experience’ has always been one criteria behind the design of each of our products to ensure utmost comfort and best experience for our consumers.

“Having sponsored and contributed to the success of several top teams, such as the Chinese table tennis team, Chinese shooting team and the Chinese diving team, we are very excited about this new collaboration with the ITTF to bring a more pleasant and professional experience for referees and staff at top table tennis events worldwide.”

Sports Sponsorship: Li-Ning signs 3-year deal with ITTF

Wimbledon 2018: 6 digital innovations to keep tennis fans engaged

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has introduced six artificial intelligence digital innovations for Wimbledon 2018 to keep the tennis fans engaged.

AELTC and official technology partner IBM have unveiled new AI technologies for The Championships 2018, marking the next phase in the AELTC’s journey, cementing digital as the gateway to their brand with unique data insights and AI solutions to drive fan engagement and business efficiency.

In 2018, Wimbledon and IBM will put AI technology to work to change the way fans perceive and enjoy the game of tennis. By delivering unique and authentic content, in the moment that it happens, the AELTC and IBM will work together to reveal new insights into what it takes to succeed on Centre Court as the players aspire to reach the pinnacle of their sport: to be a Wimbledon Champion.

Having started to adopt AI technologies in 2015, Wimbledon is now leading the way in harnessing the exponential power of huge sets of data to provide an ever more immersive experience, and is pleased to launch the following new innovations for 2018:

THE WIMBLEDON MESSENGER

The Wimbledon Messenger is a social assistant for those off-site, utilising the Watson Assistant chatbot capability and delivered within Facebook Messenger. This will put more content into social platforms where fans increasingly engage with their friends. The Bot will allow fans to access tailored information on scores, news and players while driving engagement back to the official platforms. The Wimbledon Messenger experience complements ‘Fred,’ Wimbledon’s in-app AI assistant, launched in 2017 to provide a personalised on-site visitor experience and further enhanced for 2018.

NEW WIMBLEDON.COM

A new Wimbledon.com will provide content that refreshes dynamically, making the browsing experience more seamless, but also with greater ability to personalise for different audiences. The redesign also allows persistent video viewing to help maximise video use and hero The Wimbledon Channel, Wimbledon’s live video offering. This is not just an investment for 2018, but will allow Wimbledon to deliver ever more engaging experiences in future years. As Wimbledon becomes the host broadcaster of The Championships, with the launch of Wimbledon Broadcast Services, the AELTC wanted to ensure that digital platforms are equally able to make the most of the rich array of video content being captured and produced. Combined with ever increasing rates of publishing demand and digital trends moving towards “app like” web platforms, a new approach was needed to Wimbledon.com

AI-POWERED AUTOMATED HIGHLIGHTS

There will also be enhanced AI-powered automated video highlights for Wimbledon fans. As a learning system, Watson has been taught to better recognise player emotion, increasing the quality of the output, while also increasing speed in turnaround time by 15 minutes. AI-powered automated video highlights are generated using IBM Watson and other video and audio technologies to bring to life the most exciting moments of The Championships from the six main Show Courts. With an average of three matches per court, per day, video from the matches can quickly add up to hundreds of hours of footage which could take hours to pull together into highlight packages. The AI system created by IBM Research scientists and IBM iX consultants auto-curates highlights based on analysis of crowd noise, players’ movements and match data to help simplify the highlight video production process and focus on key moments in the match. This allows the Wimbledon editorial team to scale and accelerate the video production process for highlight packages and expand the number of potential matches that are turned into timely highlight videos for fans to watch and share. In addition, being able to access the content at a clips level will allow the Wimbledon editorial team to maximise their output within their allowed rights footage.

AI HIGHLIGHTS DASHBOARD

An AI highlights dashboard will further assist the digital team. A new editorial dashboard has been created that will populate in near real-time every shot of a match and its excitement level. The AELTC digital team will be able to view and find the most exciting shot of the day or the match and leverage this content across all their digital channels, including social.

IBM SLAM TRACKER

A redesigned IBM SlamTracker will provide alternative views to different types of fan. Whether it’s high-level overviews, point by point commentary or more detailed analysis, fans will be encouraged to engage in the in-match experience using different types of media from match highlights to real-time scores to social interactions. That means Wimbledon fans will have an unprecedented level of analysis, insight and engagement as the match unfolds, particularly with mobile devices in mind. Real-time data will be integrated from multiple sources including courtside statisticians, chair umpires, radar guns, ball position, player location and even Twitter for social sentiment. IBM’s SlamTracker works by analysing the players’ Cognitive “Keys” to the Match to understand which tactics to look for in a head to head match. The aim is to reveal the hidden patterns in player and match dynamics determining the pressure situations and allowing fans to follow their progress against their “keys” in real time—point by point. The Keys to the Match include insights such as pace-of-play, serve placement spread or baseline proximity. The solution also uses Watson APIs to refine and update the player style based on match data. We have also added a feature referred to as “momentum” which will be a visual depiction of a match with an indication of which player has the momentum and how that may have shifted over the course of the match.

WIMBLEDON POSTER BY IBM WATSON

The Official Wimbledon Poster to celebrate 150 years of the AELTC is created with IBM Watson. The official Wimbledon poster celebrating 150 years of The All England Lawn Tennis Club has been created using a unique mosaic approach, with IBM Watson analysing over 300,000 archive photographs.

Alexandra Willis, Head of Communications, Content and Digital, AELTC, talking about the AI innovations said that “We strive to ensure that our traditions remain relevant in the context of today, and are determined not to rest on our laurels. We want to engage with existing as well as new fans around the world, to help them be part of The Championships 2018, especially in what will be such a competitive sporting summer. We want to tell the stories of the phenomenal athleticism of our great players, the gladiatorial nature of the matches they play and explain the sporting narratives that will cut through to our audiences.

“These technology innovations are at the hearts of our efforts to continuing our journey towards a great digital experience that ensures we connect with our fans across the globe – wherever they may be watching and from whatever device that may be. For example, we are extending our content offering into Facebook Messenger, allowing fans to access tailored information on scores, news and players within a social platform. It’s also fitting that in this, our 150th anniversary year, we are using AI technology to design our unique celebratory poster, a genuine combination of design and data to provide fans with the unique Wimbledon experience they expect and more.”

Sam Seddon, Wimbledon Client & Programme Executive, IBM, commented added “People are judging Wimbledon on the experience they had last month, or even yesterday. Technology plays a really important role in making their digital channels the most engaging place to experience The Championships, Increasingly, the AELTC is embracing the role of AI as being a foundation of that digital experience and strategy. The solutions that IBM uses to improve the fan, player and media experience at Wimbledon are the same technologies and solutions that are used to transform industries and professions.

“Supporting Wimbledon in achieving their mission statement requires constant innovation and transformation to not only meet but exceed their expectations. This is why IBM has been Wimbledon’s technology and innovation partner since 1990”.

The Wimbledon Championship 2018, the 132nd edition of world’s oldest tennis tournament, will start at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London from Monday, June 2.

Wimbledon 2018: 6 digital innovations to keep tennis fans engaged

Cricket Reforms: DDCA comes under Right To Information Act

The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) has made a giant stride towards transparency and cricket reforms by becoming the first BCCI-affiliated unit to come under the Right To Information Act.

Mired in corruption-related controversies for decades, the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) has made a giant stride towards transparency by becoming the first BCCI-affiliated unit to come under the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The five-member RTI cell of the DDCA will be headed by Public Information Officer (PIO) Pradeep Kumar Banerjee. There will be two appellate authorities — the CEO, who is expected to be appointed after the elections and president of the executive committee, reports PTI.

An Ethics Officer and an Ombudsman will also be a part of the committee.

A fee of ₹10 shall apply for each RTI appeal. A maximum of two appeals in a particular case will be entertained — pdf forms of which have already been uploaded by the DDCA along with the separate application form.

While the Lodha Committee recommendations wanted BCCI to come under the RTI Act, the game’s governing body has vehemently resisted the move with their contention being that they don’t take any Government grant and don’t want to be labelled as National Sports Federation (NSF).

However, DDCA, which is going into the elections from today (Wednesday), has set the benchmark under High Court-appointed administrator Justice (Retd) Vikramajit Sen.

It is learnt that since DDCA is a company, and it was necessary to bring it under RTI.

“Recently, the Law Commission of India has recommended that BCCI should be subject to the Right to Information Act since all other National and State sports federations are amenable to the Right to Information Act. In keeping with this recommendation of the Law Commission of India and various judicial dicta, this State Association should be transparent and accessible to the public,” DDCA has stated in a Press release0.

“The DDCA is a company and is bound by the provisions of the Companies Act and as such has to make accessible various important documents such as the Minutes book of the Company, Balance sheets etc. The Lodha reforms and judgements of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and High Court of Delhi have sought to make cricket bodies like the DDCA accountable and RTI is step towards that objective,” the release further stated.

Former India cricketer and DDCA presidential candidate Madan Lal welcomed the move.

“Obviously, there should be a lot of transparency with regards to financial documents. If I win the elections, it will be easier for me to answer people’s queries. RTI is a step in the right direction and would help DDCA in gaining more credibility in terms of transparency,” Madan Lal said.

Cricket Reforms: DDCA comes under Right To Information Act