After SFL, MTV bags Box Cricket League rights

MTV, a youth channel from Viacom18, will bring in the third season of Box Cricket League - an indoor cricket tournament played amongst the television actors and actresses. Kicked off in 2014 on Sony, Colors had acquired the rights of the property in 2015 and the second season was telecast on Colors.

Earlier this month, MTV also announced acquisition of broadcast rights of Super Fight League.

Conceptualized by Marinating Films, BCL is a collaboration of sports, celebrities and entertainment. The success of its pilot season that was held in April 2014 brought together Marinating Films and Balaji Telefilms in a heady combination of innovation and expertise.

Bringing cricket and over 200 popular television celebrities under one roof, MTV Box Cricket League will be telecast on MTV starting February 13, 2018. Each game will be played for 10 overs to be spread over 23 episodes and 46 hours of telecast content.

This starry cricket league will boast of 10 cricket teams named after 10 Indian cities- Chennai Swaggers, Mumbai Tigers, Rowdy Bangalore, Delhi Dragons, The Ahmedabad Express, Pune Anmol Ratn, Lucknow Nawabs, Jaipur Raj Joshiley, Chandigarh Cubs and Kolkata Babu Moshayes with celebrities like Karan Patel, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Rithvik Dhanjani, Anita Hassandani associated with the teams.

Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom18, said, “We all know about young India’s obsession with cricket! With MTV Box Cricket League, we will be taking the nation’s obsession with cricket and entertainment a notch higher by ensuring we give the youth of India what it wants – celebrities and cricket – on a channel they love the most - MTV. Not only is the MTV Box Cricket League a fun concept but also an opportunity for viewers to see their favourite stars in a new avatar and engage with brand MTV in a whole new manner. It’s going to be extremely exciting to see the league unfold on screen for both, us and the viewers.”

Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18, said, “MTV is a brand that knows the pulse of the youth like no one else does and cricket being a sport which fascinates a lot of youngsters, we knew this would be a perfect association for us. When prime time stars take on their new role on the cricket pitch, we’re positive young India is going to sit up and not only take notice but follow each match in the league with keen interest. The stellar line up of celebrities will definitely make MTV Box Cricket League all the more engaging for our young viewers.”

Ekta Kapoor, Joint Managing Director, Balaji Telefilms, said, “MTV BCL 2018 is a reboot that's set to excite and entertain viewers across the television and digital medium. With a prime time slot on India's top youth channel, MTV BCL is poised to take the audiences on a dramatic sport extravaganza. Add to this the top male and female faces of indian television and the landscape is unlike any other. Audiences today are ready for clutter breaking content and this is a step in that direction.”

Nachiket Pantvaidya, COO, Balaji Telefilms, said, “Balaji Telefilms is proud to be associated with India’s premier youth channel MTV, to bring its flagship property BCL to the youth of India. MTV is India’s leading platform for youth content and BCL on MTV will bring to life the emotion that the game of cricket has, with the added tadka of the off the pitch drama!”

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