MAM
ESPN Star Sports to earn Rs 50 mn ad rev from Wimbledon
MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports has completely sold out on its inventory and could earn advertising revenue of Rs 50 million from the Wimbledon tournament.
Brands like Rolex, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Malaysia Tourism Board, Perfetti, Samsung, Colgate Palmolive, Vodafone, Renault Nissan, IBM, Nokia, Reliance Netconnect, Parle Agro, Pernod Ricard (Seagram) and MetLife have bought airtime on the live telecast of the Wimbledon.
The main pull for advertisers to associate with the event is the fact that it has a following among male SEC ABC TG.
According to a senior media buying executive, ESS could end up with Rs 50 million from the event. The executive says that advertisers are forking out between Rs 15,000-25,000 for buying airtime on the property as Wimbledon is the biggest Tennis championship.
The event will be covered on Star Sports and in high definition on ESPN HD, with up to 140 hours of live coverage on both the channels.
“Tennis has been quite a popular sport among its target audience in India and Wimbledon has been one of the most followed tournaments for a long time. I think we are seeing the reflection in TV ratings as well and given the fact that it’s a two-week long tournament, played during prime time for India, it’s a viable opportunity for marketers,” says Spatial Access CEO Nikhil Rangnekar.
Agrees VivaKi Exchange CEO Mona Jain, “Even though the hype around Wimbledon isn’t the same as it used to be before, it continues to be the biggest Tennis property. Tennis has its own following in India and offers good opportunity for brands that are looking to reach out to specific target audience.”
Neo Sports had earned an estimated advertising revenue of Rs 45 million from the recently concluded French Open. The channel had roped in Reliance 3G, Coca-Cola, Renault, Kerala Tourism and Vinni Pharmaceuticals as broadcast sponsors.
MAM
Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia deepens philanthropic push in India ahead of retirement
Entrepreneur backs gurdwara project and education for slum children as he expands charitable footprint in the country
LONDON: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia is ramping up his philanthropic footprint in India. On a recent visit to the country, the UK-based entrepreneur stepped up support for religious and educational causes, signalling a deeper long-term commitment as he prepares to spend more time in India ahead of retirement.
Ahluwalia reaffirmed support for key social initiatives, including a donation to Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib in Gurugram and continued backing for a school in Faridabad for which he had earlier purchased the land.
The donation will fund the construction of the gurdwara, expected to be completed by mid-2028. Run largely by volunteers, the site will serve as a community hub and continue the Sikh tradition of langar — a community kitchen that provides free meals to all, regardless of faith.
Parallelly, the Faridabad school continues to deliver free, multi-year education to children living in extreme poverty in surrounding slums. The institution is part of the 12 educational facilities run by the Jagriti Sewa Trust, where Ahluwalia serves as chairman. The trust provides underprivileged students with free education as well as skill-development opportunities.
The latest support adds to Ahluwalia’s long record of charitable giving in India. In recent years, it included a £100,000 donation to the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation’s Justice for Every Child campaign, which provides legal and psychological support to vulnerable children and their families.
Through the Ahluwalia Foundation, the businessman regularly backs charities and non-profits in both India and the United Kingdom. The foundation focuses on projects linked to education, migration and the rights of children and women.
Ahluwalia’s philanthropic drive is rooted in personal history. Having fled to the UK as a refugee at the age of 13, he has long supported migrant-focused organisations, including the London-based Migration Museum, while also funding educational initiatives in India such as free schooling programmes in Hyderabad.
Now, as he gradually shifts more of his time to India, Ahluwalia’s charitable ambitions are expanding. Future plans include launching a classic car rally across the country to raise funds for causes he supports.
“Education and faith are very close to my heart,” Ahluwalia said. “For so many Indians, whether they live in India or abroad, a gurdwara or any place of worship is more than somewhere to practise faith. They are places of community and identity.”
Reflecting on the Faridabad visit, Ahluwalia added: “It was very special seeing the work of the Jagriti Sewa Trust firsthand. Knowing that disadvantaged children are receiving a free education — and that I had a small part to play in that — is deeply meaningful. Social status and economic background should not determine a person’s chances of success.”
