MAM
Neo Sports ropes in Perfetti as first sponsor for BCCI series
MUMBAI: Neo Sports has announced that Perfetti Van Melle has been signed on as the first anchor broadcast sponsor for the BCCI cricket that is being played in India till 2010. Neo Sports will telecast the series live.
Confirming the deal, Neo Sports Broadcast Pvt Ltd chief executive officer Shashi Kalathil said, “We are delighted to announce Perfetti as our 1st Anchor Sponsor. They are brand prolific, aggressive and creative marketers. We see this as significant market expansion activity outside the sectors that have traditionally invested large amounts in a sustained fashion on Cricket. The value that Perfetti evidently saw in our anchor construct went a long way in their coming on board.”
In addition, Neo Sports is looking at freezing for anchor partners across two single-sector companies and two multi sector or corporate entities. In exchange for the commitment, Neo plans to not only offer spots but also allow them to be associated with branded properties – such as extra cover, man of the match, turning point, master blaster and fall of wickets among others, informs an official release.
Kalathil also acknowledged the contribution of the media agency Maxus in shepherding this media deal to productive conclusion. “Media agencies have traditionally tended to bulk discount big buys, this however, is simply not the anchor construct, which is less deal based and more value enhancing, it took foresight and understanding to break the rules.”
Maxus India MD Ajit Varghese said, “We, at Maxus, are always open to explore and discover new ways of building win-win partnership between client and media owners. Probably a first of its kind in the last decade, we have taken a forward position on media buy for the next 4 years. This we believe will help not only counter but also take advantage of the changing media landscape. We also believe that this would help brands realize scale of India cricket in advance and use it in a more strategic sense.”
Perfetti Van Melle head marketing Sameer Suneja said, “Cricket has always been a strategic investment for us and this partnership will help us take a long term stake in what is possibly the most effective media vehicle in India – International Cricket played by India at home. With this tie up we hope to build creative brand associations and properties on Cricket on a sustained basis.”
MAM
Reed Hastings to exit Netflix board as company posts steady growth
Shares dip 8 per cent as cofounder exits; revenue up 16 per cent to $12.25 billion.
MUMBAI- When the man who taught the world to binge decides to log off, the credits don’t just roll, they reset the script. Reed Hastings is set to step away from Netflix, marking the end of a defining chapter for a company that reshaped global entertainment even as its latest numbers suggest a business finding firmer footing.
Hastings, who co-founded Netflix nearly three decades ago and transformed it from a DVD-by-mail service into a streaming powerhouse, will not stand for re-election at the company’s annual meeting in June. While the company offered little detail on his next move beyond philanthropy and personal pursuits, the symbolic weight of his departure was immediate. Shares fell around 8 per cent following the announcement, underlining how closely Hastings remains tied to investor confidence and the company’s long-term vision.
The exit comes at a moment of recalibration. Netflix has been working to stabilise growth after a period of strategic turbulence, including the loss of a high-profile $72 billion deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery to Paramount Skydance, a setback that raised fresh questions about its ambitions in large-scale content consolidation. Yet, if the deal slipped, the fundamentals appear to be holding.
For the first quarter, Netflix reported revenue growth of 16 per cent to $12.25 billion, slightly ahead of expectations, while earnings per share nearly doubled to $1.23 from 66 cents a year ago. The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, projecting double-digit revenue growth, expanding margins and strong free cash flow signals aimed squarely at calming post-announcement jitters.
In its shareholder communication, Netflix struck a careful balance between legacy and continuity. Its mission, it reiterated, remains unchanged: to serve a global audience with diverse storytelling across languages and cultures. The message was clear—while a founder may exit, the playbook stays in motion.
At the same time, the company is quietly redrawing that playbook. Netflix is leaning into newer formats such as video podcasts and live programming, including events like the World Baseball Classic in Japan, reflecting a broader industry shift where streaming, television and live experiences increasingly overlap. Advertising, once an afterthought in its subscription-first model, is now moving centre stage, with the company projecting ad revenues of $3 billion in 2026 roughly double current levels.
Still, some questions linger in the wings. Chief among them is how Netflix plans to deploy the $2.8 billion termination fee from the collapsed Warner Bros deal. With competition for premium content intensifying, capital allocation decisions in the coming quarters could prove as consequential as the leadership transition itself.
For now, Netflix finds itself in a familiar paradox: a company built on disruption navigating continuity. Hastings may be stepping off the stage, but the show by design goes on.
