Sanjay Gupta, Star India's Managing Director, opens up about IPL coverage

Last year, when the IPL broadcast rights were up for the grabs, Star India pipped 13 other competitors and won the Indian Premier League (IPL) global media rights from 2018-2022 for a whopping price of INR 16,347.5 crore.

Since then, the promotional works for the 2018 IPL got underway in full swing and the coverage started as early as January 1. There was an exclusive coverage for IPL retention, something that was telecasted live for the first time in the history of IPL.

Adding to this, there were numerous programs where the experts analyzed and had their say on the auction strategies of all the eight teams ahead of IPL auction. When the D-day came, there was an exclusive coverage of the auction and that was televised on many channels and Hotstar.

It was revealed that the official broadcasters have singled out six months exclusively for the event and will have as many as 10 dedicated channels with six different languages on their network for the event.

Adding to this, there will also be a Super Fan Feed on Star Sports Select in English and the telecast on Hotstar will be without any delay, unlike the previous edition. The Super Fan Feed will be a unique, customised feed for those who want to watch more than the ongoing match. It will give the fans the option of having multiple data layers, with information on players and teams that will be available during the telecast, as well as multiple camera angles to choose from.

SK caught up with their Managing director Sanjay Gupta

Sportskeeda caught up with Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director, and discussed various things ahead of the 2018 IPL. Here are the excerpts.

What is the reason behind going all out for IPL?

IPL has led the emergence of homegrown sporting leagues in India. The marquee sporting tournament has made sports enthusiasts in India come closer to their cricketing heroes and celebrate the sport at large while supporting the respective teams. Star Sports has always stood for fostering a multi-sports culture in India and IPL is one of the key initiatives galvanizing youngsters to take up sports in India. In terms of sheer numbers, it is the most attended cricketing league in the world with a brand value of over USD 5.3 billion (according to Duff & Phelps) and the sixth most watched sporting league in the world. Being a partner of a sporting revolution that IPL is, is a matter of great pride for us.

What can we expect in IPL 2018?

VIVO IPL 2018 will be more inclusive, engaging and accessible experience for the viewers. Viewers will be able to select camera angles and commentary language of their choice. Also, fans will be able to enjoy a social experience on Hotstar with cricket emojis to enhance the viewing and sharing experience. And from broadcasters point of view, we will be extending the programming, showcasing behind-the-scenes including the inside scoops, strategies of the teams, net practices and much more. IPL fan parks will also grow nationally and internationally

IPL has gone on for 10 years what do you think has helped it become sustainable and becoming such a massive global brand?

IPL is a league that all professional cricketers across the world aspire to play in. It is the platform where new young players can showcase their talent. This is the place where you can catch the world best cricketing action. It’s the beauty and spirit of the game by the consumer for which there has been a hunger towards the game. Taking forward the experience of people’s love for the game has helped it evolve into a massive global brand.

Do you think there is a need to constantly innovate as a broadcaster?

As a broadcaster, we have always been on the forefront of innovation – changing the industry norm. We have been constantly exploring opportunities of engaging with our audience in a more personal way. The finest example of such activities are the auction experience at the studio/election se selection campaign. We have also done some out of the box ground activation such as Pull Room for VIVO Pro Kabaddi League Season 5 and ballot box installation at Delhi Press Club for VIVO IPL 2018.

IPL telecast is starting earlier this time. What is the main strategy behind it?

The idea is to make sure that we get as many sporting enthusiasts as possible to be a part of IPL 2018 and scheduling the matches slightly earlier will help us ensure a deeper penetration in rural areas.

Is Virtual Reality broadcasting a step too far?

Star Sports has always believed in the use of cutting-edge technology to make sure sporting action makes its way to the viewers in the most evocative way possible. Incorporating virtual reality for IPL 2018 is one of the ways we seek to enhance the viewer experience for the marquee sporting tournament.

How do you plan to ensure broadcast to smaller areas?

IPL will bring to the fore the power of sports and the power of technology in 2018. This is the biggest content property on TV and other screens. It has been built well over the last decade and has grown dramatically. We believe IPL can be re-imagined completely to grow even faster and more dramatically over the next five years as Star takes charge of it. The scale of investment and ambition is being put behind making IPL work in different languages for different consumers. We will have seven different live feeds for IPL both on TV and digital each. There will be six language feeds and a Super Fan Feed on Star Sports Select in English. These will not only make the tournament more accessible but will also enhance the connect the audience connect.

How do you ensure there is no overkill of content and people don't get bored?

Star Sports is constantly innovating to ensure an optimal viewer experience with our diverse range of offerings. The idea is to ensure the content we are offering our viewers is customized as per their needs and requirements. The efforts needed to ensure the same range from improvising on technology and ensuring uninterrupted telecast to weaving a story around the whole tournament with our pre and post-match offerings and finally delivering it to the viewers in a language that appeals to them the most.