MAM
Akshay Kumar now owner of Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) team of the Indian Street Premier League
Mumbai: The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) is thrilled to announce Bollywood megastar Akshay Kumar as the team owner of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir). This collaboration brings excitement and star power to the ISPL, a first-of-its-kind tennis ball T10 cricket tournament set to take place inside a stadium from 2 to 9 March, 2024.
Akshay Kumar’s entry marks the commencement of an exciting line-up of super star team owners set to be revealed for the remaining five teams. Their involvement promises to infuse unparalleled enthusiasm and passion into this distinctive cricketing spectacle, elevating the league to new heights.
Expressing his excitement about joining the Indian Street Premier League, Akshay Kumar said, “I am thrilled to be part of the ISPL and the Srinagar team. This tournament promises to be a game-changer in the world of cricket, and I am looking forward to being at the forefront of this unique sporting endeavour.”
ISPL core committee members Ashish Shelar and Amol Kale, along with league commissioner Suraj Samat also shared their thoughts on this significant partnership:
ISPL core committee member Ashish Shelar said, “Having Akshay Kumar on board is a testament to the league’s commitment to excellence. His association will undoubtedly bring more glamour and enthusiasm to the Srinagar team.”
SPL Core Committee Member Amol Kale said, “The ISPL aims to revolutionise tennis ball cricket, and with Akshay Kumar as the team owner of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), we are confident in creating a memorable experience for players and fans alike.”
ISPL League Commissioner Suraj Samat said, “Akshay Kumar’s involvement is a testament to the league’s vision. We are excited to have him as part of the ISPL family, and I believe this association will help us further fulfil the dreams of millions and get them from street2stadium. This will provide the much needed platform for them to showcase their skills and a chance to enter the mainstream.”
The ISPL aims to serve as a vital platform for unearthing hidden talents in tennis ball cricket, providing a unique space for emerging cricketers to shine. With the potential to capture the nation’s attention, the league promises to showcase remarkable talent and create a lasting impact on Indian cricket.
Players are invited to register for the tournament at www.ispl-t10.com
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Abhay Duggal joins JioStar as director of Hindi GEC ad sales
The streaming giant brings in a seasoned revenue hand as the battle for Hindi television advertising heats up
MUMBAI: Abhay Duggal has a new desk, and JioStar has a new weapon. The media and entertainment veteran has joined JioStar as director of entertainment ad sales for Hindi general entertainment channels, adding 17 years of hard-won revenue experience to one of India’s most powerful broadcasting operations.
Duggal is no stranger to big portfolios or bruising markets. Before joining JioStar, he spent a brief stint at Republic World as deputy general manager and north regional head for ad sales. Before that, he put in three years at Enterr10 Television, where he ran the north region for Dangal TV and Dangal 2, two of India’s leading free-to-air Hindi channels. The north alone accounted for more than 50 per cent of total channel revenue on his watch, a number that tends to get attention in any sales meeting.
His longest stint was at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, where he spent over six years rising to associate director of sales. There he commanded the Hindi movies cluster across seven channels, owned more than half of north India’s revenue across flagship properties including Zee TV and &TV, and closed marquee sponsorships across the Indian Premier League, Zee Rishtey Awards and Dance India Dance. He also handled monetisation for the English movies and entertainment cluster and the global news channel WION, a portfolio that would stretch most sales teams twice his size.
Earlier in his career Duggal closed what was then a Rs 3 crore single deal at Reliance Broadcast Network, one of the largest in Indian radio at the time, before that he helped launch and monetise JAINHITS, India’s first HITS-based cable and satellite platform.
His edge, by his own account, lies in marrying data and instinct: translating audience trends, inventory signals and client demands into long-term partnerships built on cost-per-rating-point discipline rather than short-term deal chasing. In a media landscape being reshaped by streaming, fragmented attention and AI-driven advertising, that kind of rigour is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
JioStar, which blends the scale of Reliance’s Jio platform with the content firepower of Star, is doubling down on its advertising business at precisely the moment the Hindi GEC market is getting more competitive. Bringing in someone who has spent nearly two decades doing exactly this, across some of India’s most watched channels, is a pointed statement of intent. Duggal has spent his career turning audiences into revenue. JioStar is clearly betting he can do it again, and bigger.
