MUMBAI: The curtain has come down on the first episode of the Indian
Premier League (IPL), but the excitement, nervousness and anticipation
persists with corporates queuing up to sign on the dotted lines, for
the next season. The episode, as they say in marketing parlance,
continues unabated, with new tie-ups with the four teams who played
the IPL semi-finals.
"It is not just sports channels catering to cricket enthusiasts who
were keen to get a leg-up during IPL," says the head of a media buying
agency. ''Even news channels have joined the fray,'' Star News had
focussed programming with forecast rights through the series, she
said.
As if to underscore the new link, the news channel tied up an
exclusive contract with 'Rawalpindi Express' Shoaib Akhtar from the
Kolkata Knight Riders team. Media buyers maintain that they are
juggling new rates for new talk shows with eminent cricketers, all to
be played out in the next season. Even suitings major, S Kumar's
Nationwide (SKNL), decided to hop on at the fag end of the IPL's first
season, in a deal spanning three years.
For starters, the clothing company decked out the Jaipur team in
formal wear for their pre-final sit-down dinner. Bandhgala's and
chudidars rubbed shoulders with Reid and Taylor suits, courtesy SKNL.
The corporate has also decided to continue its association with
Bollywood hearthrob Shah Rukh Khan, since the celebrity endorses its
Belmonte suitings range.
The $12-billion retail industry too is not content to stay in the
background. Many retail majors plan to tie-up with IPL franchisees,
given the fact that the business format of IPL is modelled on the
English Premier League, which has built its properties through retail
tie-ups and merchandise.
R Vedamani, of the Retailers Association of India, said IPL
franchisees are in talks with various retailers. ''Indian Premier
League merchandise is a new area for retail growth in India. Given the
fact that globally, sports merchandise is a big opportunity for
retailers, with the IPL connect, the Indian retail segment is poised
to grow by leaps and bounds.''
Media sources pointed out that since Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shah
Rukh Khan are brand ambassadors of Videocon, the retail major is also
looking at merchandising in a very big way. ''The spots could be
included within Videocon's Next, Planet M or other Videocon retail
stores. Celebrity branded T-shirts, sunglasses, wallets and travel
bags will be the mainstay,'' a senior official familiar with the deal
said.
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