By ASHWIN PINTO
Indiantelevision.com Team

(5 April 2010 10:25 pm)

MUMBAI: Max, the official broadcaster of the Indian Premier League, has held back 10 per cent of its ad inventory for the semi-finals and final and will be charging a hefty premium on them.

The channel hopes to add a further Rs 500 million to its original target as the IPL grows in popularity this season, the third since its invention of a T20 league format.

Indiantelevision.com was the first to report that Multi Screen Media (formerly Sony Entertainment Television India), the company that owns and operates the Max channel, was targeting an ad revenue of Rs 7 billion this season.

Max is in negotiations to sell its remaining ad inventory at rates upward of Rs one million per 10-second spot.

Says MSM president network sales, licensing and telephony Rohit Gupta, "We have kept around 10 per cent of inventory back. We are negotiating with clients who want to come on board at this stage."