GroupM ESP lists top 10 trends for IPL season 8

MUMBAI: Move over Cricket World Cup, welcome Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 8! 

With the home grown league becoming a global reputable property, GroupM ESP (Entertainment & Sports Partnerships), has predicted top trends in 2015.  

Commenting on the trends for this season, Group M ESP national director Vinit Karnik said that the sports entity has come a long way in how it addresses sponsorship sales and convergence of technology. “From selling tickets to selling an experience, IPL has come a long way. This further extends from the execution of sponsorships across major platforms — all the way to the idea/solution generation phase during the sales process,” he added.

Karnik also stated that in 2015 teams will continue investing in the in-stadia experience content delivery. With feeds available through internet, Sony’s regional channels, mobile applications etc the content is truly taking the center stage. “It makes sense because if fans aren’t in the stadium consuming content, they’re consuming it somewhere else — work/ home/ in a cafe… wherever,” he informs.

According to him there will be an amalgamation of technology integration and enhancement throughout the sport. The proliferation of video and statistical information backed by increased social exchange will define the popularity of teams.

Uniquely positioned at the intersection of media and marketing, GroupM ESP has made the following predictions: 

1) Smart talent acquisition by franchises increasing competitiveness with teams evenly matched.

2) Enhanced broadcast production quality with regional language feeds from the broadcaster MSM.

3) Fan Park idea will heighten interest and involvement in smaller cities and towns.

4) Digital platforms to create sustained and deep engagement with real time analytics.

5) Surround content to drive social conversations via social media platforms.

6) Technology to enhance spectator interactions and engagement inside stadium.

7) Realistic sponsorship pricing strategies resulting in repeat purchases and a stable sponsor ecosystem.

8) Apparel as an emerging and popular sponsor category among franchises.

9) Sponsor's increased dependence on crowd sourcing to create excitement around their brands .

10)  E-commerce brands will dominate ad spends on broadcast platform.

“In all aspects, IPL offers a consumer delight by integrating newest technologies and enhanced fan experience while building affinity with future generations of fans who have moved from passive viewers to engaged amplifiers. We also see a lot of new generation brands jump onto the IPL bandwagon, making it a high spend high visibility and now high engagement business,” concluded Karnik.