Cricket sells and how!

BEHIND THE NEWS

The ongoing Hero Honda hockey World Cup has kickstarted what is likely to turn out to be a bountiful year for sports related advertising for broadcasters. Over the next 12 to 14 months, several high profile sporting events are slated to take place in India. The already successful hockey World Cup has revived interest in a dying game. India's 4-1 vanquishing of Pakistan has of course been drowned out by three harrowing defeats to Australia, Spain and England, yet people have come in droves to support the home side.

One big event more or less seamlessly migrates to another. The last leg of the hockey World Cup will more or less overlap with the start of IPL season 3. Many reckon it will be bigger, better and more viewed than the previous two editions. Most importantly, IPL returns to home pastures and this will ensure in reinvigorating the fans. A sportzpower-B & K Securities study reveals that as much as Rs 3000 crore is planned as sports events advertising of various channels. Interestingly, as soon as the IPL gets over, cricket watchers are in for another bonanza - ICC T 20 World Cup in the West Indies. And as if this wasn't enough the quadrennial big bang high decibel football extravaganze FIFA World Cup gets underway in South Africa.

B & K Securities estimates that IPL 3 will garner as much as Rs 648 crore for Set Max, while the T 20 World Cup on ESS will rake in close to Rs 160 crore. “Ninety per cent of our nventory is sold out to the nine sponsors on board and the rest 10% will be sold at a premium rate between Rs 8-10 lakh shortly by spot buyers,” says Rohit Gupta, president of Multi Screen Media (SET Max). He added, ""Vodafone and Videocon who are the co-presenting sponsors of the tournament will pay close to Rs 50- 55 crore with a commercial second age of 180- 200 sec per match across 60 matches to be played from March 12 to April 25. The associate sponsors like LG, Samsung, HUL, Pepsi Co’s outlays are around Rs 30-40 crore with 120-140 second per match. Set Max has raised its per second slot rating by 30% this year asagainst last season, therefore the sponsors like LG, Samsung and Videocon have also raised the advertising revenues by 15-20%."

IPL's return to India is being awaited expectantly. As Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shahrukh Khan said on Sunday, "There's always a buzz in playing here and it's a wonderful feeling. The feeling one gets playing in front of 100,000 people at the Eden Gardens is incomparable." SRK was speaking at a function to announce his franchise's continued partnership with Nokia India.
There is no respite for couch potatoes if their favourite fix is sport, in the main cricket. The T20 Champions League in September will be followed by the Commonwealth Games which India will host for the first time. Then there is a slew of cricket with India playing Australia, New Zealand and South Africa followed by the marquee event - cricket World Cup - in the sub continent with a majority of the matches in India. This will directly lead into IPL 4 with 10 teams and 94 matches. B & K Securities estimates as much as Rs 494 crore from the World Cup broadcasting advertising revenues. But it is season 4 of an enlarged IPL which is likely to emerge as a honey pot - Rs 875 crore.


Time-line
Tournament
Ad rev (Rs mn)
Mar-10
Hero Honda Hockey WC
220
March-April 2010
IPL III
6,480
April-May 2010
T20WC
1,604
Jul-10
India-SL
1,166
Jun-10
FIFA WC
1,500
Sep-10
Champions League
397
Oct-10
Commonwealth Games
1,500
Oct-10
India-Aus
956
Nov-10
India-NZ
1,166
Nov-10
Asian Games
200
Dec-10
India-SA
1,166
Feb-March 2011
Cricket WC
4,939
March-April 2011
IPL IV
8,748

TOTAL
30,041
(Source: B & K Securities)