Star India and Times Internet partner to distribute IPL on digital

Both companies will market the joint proposition, and Star will be solely responsible for monetisation, including advertising sales

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | January 29, 2014

Star India has licensed the digital distribution rights for IPL 2014 from Times Internet, the digital arm of The Times of India Group. Star India will offer streaming and video on demand on starsports.com, the Star Sports app, and on mobile operator services powered by Star Sports. Times Internet will distribute IPL streaming and video on demand on its cricket destination on web and mobile, powered by a starsports.com video player. Both companies will market the joint proposition, and Star India will be solely responsible for monetisation, including advertising sales.

Last year, IPL online witnessed a 56 per cent growth in unique visitors, with over 200 million video views. This year, India's two largest media houses will co-distribute IPL, offering unparalleled reach and viewership.

The move deepens Star's commitment to dramatically shape the sports experience on digital. Launched in June 2013, starsports.com has become the go-to destination for following the best of international sports. It has redefined the sports experience through a revolutionary video timeline that is a first of its kind in the world of sports, and allows the viewer to keep track of live sports as well as catch up on games with ease. The company has also built an advanced technology infrastructure that enables HD quality streaming across multiple devices.

“At a time when more and more fans are following sports across multiple screens, our aim is to deliver an experience for them that is even better than what is on television. This partnership signals our continuing efforts to transform sports and the digital experience,” said Sanjay Gupta, COO of Star India. "We want to make IPL the world's largest sporting event on a digital platform this year.”

Satyan Gajwani, CEO of Times Internet, said, “We have been offering our users IPL for three years, and it continues to be a major driver in consumption and brand, recognised as one of the largest online video events worldwide with rapid growth. Our partnership with Star will enable an even larger reach for the property across digital devices.”

starsports.com is India's first multi-sports digital service with availability across the web and mobile. Powered by live and video rights, it covers the best of world sports including major cricket tournaments, BPL, La Liga and Serie A in football, F1, hockey and tennis.

Times Internet is the largest Indian online media entity, with over 40 million monthly visitors across its numerous digital destinations. Its portfolio includes news, lifestyle content, entertainment, ecommerce, mobile VAS, music & movie streaming, and local services.

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