Dhoni lends identity to football in India. Will it work for Star Sports?

Through the star cricketer's route, STAR Sports expects to get non-football viewers on to Barclays Premier League. The campaign urges Dhoni fans to 'Join the Game'. Will it work for Star Sports?  

Even if cricket is the biggest craze of the country and Dhoni, the biggest celebrity for it, can football gain popularity on the back of cricket? Will Dhoni's association make that big a difference to Barclays Premier League as a brand?

Commercially speaking, the man who leads the Men in Blue on the ground currently has more than 22 endorsements. Proving his entrepreneurial instinct, Dhoni has acquired equity stakes or key roles in the companies he endorses. He is not that highly urban and sophisticated brat. He appeals to the rural and semi-urban Indians in a very big way." 
Gaining traction with the rural/semi urban masses could also explain the channel's decision to launch Hindi feeds commentary for select 100 matches of the league.Why MSD? There is a two pronged reasoning to this, suggest brand consultants. 

Firstly, being a cricket crazy country, India has never had similar big names in any other sport. Also, sportsman is a wider canvas than cricketer or footballer. Undoubtedly, though, cricket has the largest profile, and one has to select from it. Sinha of Alchemist Brand says, "Another reason is that nowadays, in the pre match practice during cricket matches, these players play football instead of catch practice and stretching. This has created a lot of familiarity with the otherwise unknown sport, even to the masses." 

Recently, badminton too borrowed support from cricket to father eyeballs for the first Indian Badminton League slated to start on August 14. The marketing campaign released for IBL showcases well known badminton players wearing cricket pads and asking, 'Is this what we have to do to get your attention?' 

Insiders feel that the initial stages will be about viewership but later, the association could leave a lasting effect on the popularity of the league. Darshan M, managing director and CEO, Machdar Motorsports, says, "At least this partnership will ensure the tuning in to the tournament by the segment of viewers that is common to the two sets, 'non-football fans' and 'ardent Dhoni-fans', though appointment viewing isn't ensured."

Leading media marketing website afaqs.com's indepth report on Star Sports' new strategy. Read full report here on afaqs.com - Dhoni lends identity to football in India