Times Internet Ltd, part of The Times of India group, has won the global Internet,mobile and radio rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament for four years along with broadcast rights for certain territories from 2011 to 2014, having bid Rs 261.6 crore.
Multi Screen Media, which owns the SET and MAX channels, has the Indian Premier League television broadcasting rights for the Indian sub-continent until 2017.
BCCI has been given Green signal to proceed with the tenders by the Supreme Court for new global telecast rights for IPL 2011, beginning from April 8 2011.Earlier BCCI had cancelled World Sports Group media rights, on grounds of improper payment of a facilitation fee worth 4.25 billion. Facilitation fee controversy came to light when World Sports Group India claimed worldwide telecast rights of Indian Premier League from 2008 to 2017, in return for $1 billion. MSM secures broadcasting rights in India from WSG Mauritius.WSG Apart from global TV rights, also had other rights including the Internet, live-streaming with delay and mobile rights.Google Inc’s YouTube platform also signed last year a two-year deal to stream the matches.Global Cricket Ventures got deal from WSG after agreeing to pay BCCI Rs 25 crore annually for the Google deal.
IPL 4, which is scheduled to begin from April 8, will see the inclusion of two new teams Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Sahara Pune Warriors. In the new IPL 4, the playing format will also be changed as stated by the IPL governing body.
THE INDIAN Premier League (IPL), 2011, will be contested between ten teams with two new teams added by the BCCI, i.e., Sahara Pune Warriors from Pune and Kochi Tuskers Kerala from Kochi.
IPL 2011 will be played form April 8 to May 28 2011 with the new format, which was announced by the IPL governing council.
The format is based on last year's domestic T20 Tournament in New Zealand. In new IPL format, there will be total of 74 matches in the IPL 4 Fixtures. Out of these 70 would be league matches and each IPL team will play at least 14 matches, 7 matches will be played at home venue and remaining at away venues.
IPL 2011's new format is as follows:
IPL 2011 Teams will be divided in two groups of five teams each. But IPL Standings table will not be separate.
Each IPL team in the same group will play two matches against each other, on “home-away” ground each, counting to 8 league matches per team.
Each IPL team will play 1 league match each against 4 teams of other group and 2 league matches home or away against the fifth team selected randomly, counting to 6 matches per team. It results in 14 (8+6) games in the league matches before the next playoff round.
All IPL 2011 league matches will count to 70 before 3 playoff matches begin, namely Game A, Game B and Game C.
Top 2 teams in the IPL points table will play each other in first playoff of Game A. Winner of Game A will go straight to the final.
Game B, 2nd playoff will be between teams at third and fourth spot in the IPL standings. Whoever looses Game B will be out of the league.
Game B winner will still need to contest in third playoff Game C against loser of first playoff i.e. Game A for entering into Finals of IPL 2011.
Then, off course, the last match, IPL 2011 Grand Finale, would be played between winner of Game A and Game C.
THE OPENING ceremony of XVI Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou, China is going to be one of a kind.
It’s the first ceremony where the whole event will not take place in any closed place or a stadium but in an open space. It will take place on an island on Pearl River and each country’s contingent will be taken there on a separate boat.
There will be a combined ceremony part on land and part on sea, also being anxiously awaited are the ‘mysterious lightings’ that China claims to be on display.
India’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony is ace shooter Gagan Narang, but, as he has an early morning schedule on 13th November, Saina Nehwal is the stand-by flag bearer. It is not officially confirmed yet as to who will bear the flag.
Although, the local public of China has seen the rehearsals of he ceremony taking place but there still are parts which have been kept hidden till now and will be revealed to the world together, today.
The opening ceremony is being organised under Chen Weiya, who was also the assistant director of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Chen revealed in a special interview that the ceremony "will surprise the world." Reportedly, a 7,000 people team will contribute to the ceremony.
Read More >> Asian Games, 2010 Asian Games, Asian Games 2010 News
THE 2010 Asian Games are going to open in China on November 12, 2010 and the games will continue till November 27, 2010.
It is being speculated that the opening ceremony of the Asian Games will be a mega event, even when compared to the Olympics as the Asiad will host 42 events. 45 countries have confirmed participation in the Games.
The opening ceremony is being organised under Chen Weiya, who was also the assistant director of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Chen revealed in a special interview that the ceremony "will surprise the world." Reportedly, a 7,000 people team will contribute to the ceremony. A lighting ceremony, separate at the sea and land will be held at the opening ceremony.
Sports like mountain biking, Wushu, Rugby, Chess and many more uncommon as well as traditional sports will be part of the event.
All 45 members of Olympic Council of Asia are participating in the Games. Athletes from these 45 countries will compete in a total of 476 events in 42 sports making it the largest competition in the history of the Asian Games.
China is leaving no stone unturned for the success of the Games, also now in the wake of the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, held at New Delhi.
As is expected both the events are bound to be compared and thus China is working extra hard to make it a bigger extravaganza. In one of the measures half of the 2.1 million private cars in Guangzhou have been ordered off the roads for the period during and leading up to the games. This step has been taken to improve the ambient air quality, this is similar to the measures taken for the 2008 Olympics held at China.
While China battles it out to make it a spectacular event, spectators can gear up for another treat for their eyes as the Opening Ceremony is bound to be magnificent.
Read More>> Asian Games 2010, 2010 Asian Games, Asian Games opening ceremony
CHINA HAS invited President Asif Ali Zardari to attend the opening ceremony of 16th Asian Games which is going to be held from November 12 to 27, in Guangzhou, China.
China is hosting another biggest event after 2008 Olympics games where in Athletes of 45 Countries will participate.16th Asian Games are schedule to start from November 12 to 27.
According to sources in Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), an invitation has been received from China in which they have invited President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to attend the opening ceremony of the 16th Asian Games.
Pakistani Contingent is also taking part in the Asian Games. National athletes will leave for china in two parts. First batch of athletes will leave on November 8 and second batch of athletes will leave for china on November 10.
Training camps of baseball, snooker, squash, kabaddi, volleyball, martial arts, football, weightlifting and hockey are already getting underway at different venues of Pakistan Sports Complex (PSC). 169 contingent members including players and officials will visit China to participate in the mega event.
Sources in Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) said that purpose to hold all training camps under one roof is to monitor the performance of National Sports Federations and to get the best results from the athletes who will participate in the mega event of the sports world.
Read More>> Asian Games 2010, 2010 Asian Games, Asian Games opening ceremony