Movies
Cricket comes to the big screen: PVR INOX to show Champions Trophy matches
MUMBAI: PVR Inox, India’s largest cinema chain, has partnered with JioStar to screen live matches from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, beginning with the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash on 23 February in Dubai.
The cinema exhibitor will broadcast matches across more than 150 screens nationwide, including the India versus New Zealand fixture on 2 March. Additional screenings of semi-finals and finals will be arranged should India progress in the tournament.
“This association combines two of India’s greatest passions: cricket and cinema,” said Gautam Dutta, chief executive of revenue and operations at PVR INOX. He noted that similar screenings last year drew substantial audiences across cities, demonstrating strong demand for communal sports viewing experiences.
The initiative will span major metropolitan areas and tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Lucknow. Viewers will have access to PVR INOX’s full range of food and beverage offerings during matches.
The partnership represents a significant move by PVR INOX to diversify its entertainment portfolio, leveraging its cinema technology to create stadium-like atmospheres for major sporting events. All matches will be shown at 1:00 PM GST (Gulf Standard Time).
The screenings mark an interesting convergence of traditional cinema exhibition and live sports broadcasting, potentially opening new revenue streams for the theatre chain while providing cricket fans with an alternative viewing experience.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
