Star Sports unveils hockey game plan, to invest Rs 1500 crore in national game

For Star Sports cricket & football are done, its time to do some hockey scoops. Just 2 days after a deal with International Hockey Federation FIH for all its events, Star Sports has announced ₹15 billion ( ₹1,500 crore) investment in hockey over eight years. With this investment they are all set to become largest hockey broadcaster in the world. 

Star India head of sports business Nitin Kukreja is very clear that the broadcaster is putting its money where its mouth is. “Our aim is to transform the sporting landscape and imbibe a culture of multiple sports in India. Sports broadcasters have traditionally only invested in cricket while shying away from other sports. We are not doing that. There are pockets of passion that still exist for hockey. The question is whether those people are getting a product that matches their expectations. Our investment of ₹15 billion is the biggest in the game globally.”

Star Sports signs 8-year broadcast deal with international hockey federation

Continuing shopping spree, Star Sports  has signed an eight-year broadcast deal with International Hockey Federation (FIH) during which the world sport body will look to host a major event in India each year.
Star Sports, will broadcast key FIH events both in India and throughout the world from January 2015 to December 2022. As of now international hockey federation rights were with Ten Sports & Hockey World Cup 2014 will be shown on TenAction & Ten Sports.

This is what you can watch on Sports TV in 2014

Ten Sports air Asian Games & CWG
& Hockey World Cup

Every next year promises more than the previous year but 2014 is really big. Indian Cricket team will be on two of the toughest & longest tours : England tour with 5 tests & as many ODIs and later in December to Australia which is going to be acid test for 2015 Cricket World Cup. For Indian Football fans IPL-style Indian Super Football league could become a reality; though not all are in favour of ISL.

2014 will also see two quadrennial multi sports events: Commonwealth Games & Asian Games both on Ten Sports in Hindi & English and Hockey World Cup will also be on Ten Sports Network. For these 3 events feeds of selected Indian matches will be shared with Doordarshan.

Star will continue its experiment with Hindi & Indian languages.
Neo Sports is left with Bundesliga only.
Sony Six will be banking on IPL & action sports.

But the event of the year will be FIFA World Cup in June. If reports are to be believed Star Sports has sealed the deal for FIFA World Cup & will air it in Hindi & English.

Wimbledon will be up for grabs so it has not been decided which channel will air it. Hockey India League, Indian Badminton League will be shown on Star Sports & I-League on Ten Sports. This year could see some more leagues coming up, possibly a basketball league & Kabaddi league. EPL, LaLiga, SerieA, UEFA & other big properties haven’t changed hands, so will be on regular channels. Pakistan cricket board rights will be up for sale in next few weeks.  Here is a list of most awaited sporting events of 2014 with their channels & kick off dates. Wishing you a very happy new year !

Happy sporty 2014 on TV:

1.    Australian Open on Star Sports from Jan 13

2.    India tour of NewZealand on Sony Six from Jan 19

3.    Sochi Winter Olympics on Star Sports from Feb 6

4.    Asia Cup Cricket on Star Sports from Feb 24

5.    Formula One season on Star Sports from March 16

6.    ICC T20 World Cup on Star Sports from March 16 (Hindi + English)

7.    Hockey World Cup on TenSports from May 31 (Hindi+English)

8.    FIFA World Cup on Sony Six from June 12 (Hindi+English)

9.    India tour of England on Star Sports from July 9 (Hindi+English)

10. Commonwealth Games on Ten Sports from July 23(Hindi+English)

11.  Asian Games on Ten Sports from September 19 (Hindi+English)

12.India tour of England on Star Sports from December 5 (Hindi+English)

*Star Sports & Ten Sports refers to their network, some of the events will see multi channel broadcast. 

Ten Action to air Junior Hockey World Cup in Hindi

Accepting demands of hockey fans Ten Sports network has decide to air Junior Hockey World Cup in Hindi on Ten Action. All India matches involving team India & play off matches will be in Hindi. All the action will be English on Ten Sports live. All league matches featuring India will be played in prime time slot at 8:00 pm. Hockey is the Ten Sports Network’s second Hindi offering after cricket. 

From 6-15 December, sixteen of the finest junior international teams in the world will fight it out for the Junior Hockey World Cup in the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, with hockey giants such as Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Korea,  Pakistan and host nation India  among the challengers.

Ten Sports to broadcast Junior Hockey World Cup

Ten Sports will broadcast Junior Hockey World Cup  from 6-15 December, sixteen of the finest junior international teams in the world will fight it out for the title in the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, with hockey giants such as Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Korea, Pakistan and host nation India among the challengers.

A former sports channel head used to say, ‘There is no doubt, cricket is huge. But it does not mean there is no space for any other sports. Given emotional touch, hockey could be No.2.’ Thanks to cut-throat competition in buying cricket properties & digitalization; finally sports broadcasters have started recognizing commercial potential of Indian hockey. So much so that commercially viable Junior International tournaments are also being aired. Indian Junior team recently won Sultan Johor Cup & they are in top form. This tournament is being held just before FIH World Cup. It will be junior players big chance to display their talent in front of home support & get selected in Indian Senior team. 

ESPN will telecast Sultan Johor Cup Hockey from September 22

Gone are the days when hockey fans would rarely get to watch live action. Indian young guns will be seen live taking on England, Korea, Malaysia, Argentina and Pakistan in 3rd Sultan of Johor Cup. 


ESPN will telecast 3rd Sultan of Johor Cup Hockey tournament live which begins at Johor Bahru in Malaysia from September 22-29 with Hindi commentary. Olympian Jagbir Singh & Sunil Taneja will be calling the games for viewers back home. 

Sports channels are trying to reduce their dependence on expensive and limited cricket properties and betting big on other sports, hockey is one such sport.