The FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever has come on board as a sponsor for both TV and digital coverage of Asia Cup and World Cup for close to Rs 200 crore, a source, who didn’t wish to be identified, told ET Online.
Disney Star, which operates Star Sports channels and Disney+ Hotstar OTT, will be broadcasting both the Asia Cup and the 50-overs ICC World Cup mega tournaments.
“Due to the festive period timing, both properties have garnered significant interest,” another source said. “Advertisers have the option of selecting from a wide range of packages across linear and digital that align with their business goals. With Asia Cup and World Cup events being held back-to-back, we believe Disney Star will be able to sell their inventory effectively.”
Disney Star declined to comment on the development.
Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled to start today and cricket-crazy India will host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup spanning nearly two months from October 5 to November 19. While the Asia Cup has 13 matches scheduled, the World Cup will see 10 countries fighting for the coveted trophy and there are a total of 48 matches scheduled.Arch cricket rivals India and Pakistan are set to play against each other a few times in these marquee events and these games are usually a big crowd-puller. Media experts had also said earlier that matches involving Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand are expected to see a scale equivalent to an India-Pakistan match. Moreover, with growing interest for the game among women, more brands selling products for the female users will also look to feature during the World Cup games this time.
HUL’s reported Rs 200 crore spend also comes at a time when some media reports cited a general lull in the industry to pull advertisers to the 50-over Asia Cup event.
ET had earlier reported citing sources that Star Sports is asking for Rs 120 crore for co-presenting sponsorship and Rs 90 crore for associate sponsorship opportunities for the World Cup. The broadcaster is asking spot buyers to pay Rs 31 lakh per 10-seconds for India and knockout matches.
