Indian sports channel Sony SIX "is gearing up to take on" STAR Sports "in a bid to emerge as the leading sports broadcaster in the country," according to Manu Balachandran of the Indian BUSINESS STANDARD. The company set up almost two years ago recently won the rights to the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, which are "expected to rake in" revenues of Rs 100 crore ($16M) for the company, according to industry estimates. The company has landed a number of rights including the "lucrative" Indian Premier League, FIFA World Cups, qualifiers for Euro 2016, European qualifiers for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Total Non-Stop Action, the Australian Open and the NBA. Sony's archrival, STAR TV India, had earlier said that it was investing Rs 20,000 crore ($3.2B) in the next three to five years "to revamp its sports channel offerings" (BUSINESS STANDARD, 1/22).
HONORING THE COMMITMENT: Indian BUSINESS STANDARD's Urvi Malvania reported STAR Sports India "is making good on its commitment to broaden the sports landscape in the country." It will be spending Rs 1,500 crore ($242M) over the next eight years "on developing the production and marketing of the sport through its broadcast and digital channels." The network "will also be spending big bucks on the production and marketing of the forthcoming Hero Hockey India League," which kicks off on Saturday. It has earmarked a Rs 100 crore ($16M) investment for the second season of the domestic hockey league. The league has a total of 34 matches to be played over 30 days (BUSINESS STANDARD, 1/23).
