BENGALURU: Expecting to reach three million fans across the world on the way to being a badminton team with the largest digital following, the Indian Badminton League (IBL) team Banga Beat’s management announced a tie-up with mobile based social network PlayUp under its aggressive fan outreach programme. Banga Beats Bangalore team franchise is owned by real estate consultant group BOP for the Indian Badminton League.

BOP Banga Beats director Amit Mavi said, "Banga Beats transcends beyond, badminton team competing for IBL. It’s a thought and a philosophy that is driven by passion and fans as the centre point. We wanted to bring this team closer to the fans as much as possible and teaming up with PlayUp is a step in that direction. I am personally humbled by the fan support we have received thus far".

BOP GM-marketing Karan Chaudhri also announced that Indian real estate giant and the Indian Premier League sponsor DLF has signed up as the powered by sponsor for team Banga Beats for this season. Sponsors of team Banga Beats are - official kit sponsor - Li-Ning; Outdoor partner Jagran Engage; Radio Partner Radio One among others.

Chaudhri also informed that there was huge demand for tickets for IBL matches with almost ninety per cent of the tickets for the team Banga Beats match against team Krrish Delhi Smashers on Sunday 25 August in Bangalore and the complete quota of online tickets already sold. He also said that the entire online quota and 75 per cent of the tickets for the match on Saturday, 24 August between team Awadhe Warriors and team Mumbai Masters had been sold.

Speaking on the tie up PlayUp brand ambassador and former Australia cricket team skipper Steve Waugh said, “I am very excited that fans, players, brands and sponsors are getting behind Badminton. It is an encouraging trend and I wholeheartedly support it. I especially love that BOP Banga Beats is using new media to connect sports fans to their favourite team. And their association with PlayUp - the world’s largest mobile-based social network around live sport - will help deliver rich, real-time content from on and off court to Badminton fans across the world. This association between BOP Banga Beats and PlayUp promises to be the biggest social program for Badminton in the world”.

Banga Beats can use this mobile technology to provide their fans with a mobile social environment dedicated to the live game all connected to their existing social graph and appreciate the skill, intensity and discipline of the game and its players. Banga Beats fans will get the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of the IBL and their team‘s performance; plus complete access to all the buzz, news and conversations going on about the game. Fans will have a chance to show their support, participate in contests and stand to win fantastic prizes all through the IBL.

Expected number of impressions from various initiatives