ESPN Star attempts to expand viewers base with IBL

ESPN is broadcasting IBL in Hindi

 IBL matches will be aired in 08:00 PM - 11:30 PM time slot on  weekdays and 4:00 PM – 11:30 PM time slot on weekends. ESPN Star is simulcasting IBL on ESPN in Hindi and Star Sports 2 in  English. 

Aayaz Memon, Sanjay Sharma and Nirmal Kotnis will be calling the game. Mandira S Lalvani will host pre & post match shows in Hindi. Although badminton is still a niche sport, the sportscaster says that it wants to build a multi-sport viewership. Six teams, franchise based IPL style Indian  Badminton League (IBL)  gets underway on 14 August and final will be played on 31 August. 

Star Sports 2 to broadcast IBL
English feed

“The idea is to create a portfolio of various sporting disciplines with in-depth programming in each of the categories. This will help expand the sports viewing fan base and help in creating habitual viewing amongst sports consumers,” says ESPN Software India CEO Vijay Rajput.

What is lacking in sportscasting is the manner in which non-cricket & niche sports are packaged, communicated and presented.

The crux of its marketing strategy for IBL is mainly dependent upon highlighting the fact that viewers will get to watch world class badminton players on the two channels. But firstly they need to ensure that new audiences familiarize themselves with the players, if they want to lure new viewers. Star Sports’s campaign therefore focuses on Indian players in the IBL such as Saina Nehwal, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponappa and Jerry Chopra.

Star Sports' IBL marketing strategy
focuses on Indian players 

“Our aim is also to build recognisable heroes within IBL,” says Rajput. The sportscaster has created a campaign ‘Tez Ka Craze’ on this theme. 

The IPL (Indian Premiere League) has a robust marketing strategy every year apart from the fact that it has an existing huge fan following in the country

Star Sports is airing a build-up series ‘IBL-Smash’ with Sanjay Sharma as host. It is an attempt to get people to know more about the game and thereby tune in to the channel to watch it.

Earlier an auction was concluded in which India’s star player Saina Nehwal was bought by Hyderabad for $1,20,000 and the world’s top badminton player Lee Chong Wei went to Mumbai for a whopping $1,35,000.

Matches will be played in the towns of the six franchisees namely Mumbai Masters, Delhi Smashers, Hyderabad Hotshots, Pune Pistons, Awadhe Warriors and Banga Beats. A total of 90 matches will be played in the form of two men’s singles and one women’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles each.

This isn’t the first acquisition for Star Sports Network. It had also got hold of the Hockey India League, English Premier League, Sri Lanka Premiere League (SLPL), Bangladesh Premiere League (BPL) and others. As of now, IBL and Star Sports Network have struck a deal only for the first edition of the tournament. How well it manages to garner audience attention will decide the future of the speedy sport.

Courtesy :  www.indianbadmintonleague.co