GECs
SAB TV to air 20:20 tourney later this month
MUMBAI: Sony (India), Sky Sports (UK) and SuperSport (South Africa) have been successful in their bid to win the rights to televise the inaugural International 20:20 cricket Club Championship in the UK.
The three-day tournament, to be held at Grace Road, Leicester, from 15 – 17 September 2005, will see six club sides, containing some of the world’s leading players, battling it out to win the ?25,000 first prize and the title of International 20:20 Club Champions. In India the event will air on Sony’s recently acquired humour channel SAB TV.
Sony will carry over 30 hours coverage to the Indian subcontinent and international subscribers. The broadcaster paid a $ six figure sum to secure these rights. SuperSport in South Africa will also carry the tournament, focusing on the participation of Nashua Titans, winners of the Pro20 Series, South Africa’s domestic 20:20 tournament. Sky Sports in the UK will carry a highlights package, adding to its coverage of the English Twenty20 Cup.
Sides from three continents will contest the inaugural International 20:20 Club Championship and these will include each and every champion team from those countries that currently hold 20:20 tournaments. This includes the 2005 Twenty20 Cup champions Somerset Sabres, the reigning Twenty20 Champions from Sri Lanka, the Chilaw Marians, the Pakistani ABN Amro Twenty-20 cup champions Faisalabad Wolves and the 2005 Standard Bank Pro20 Series winners Nashua Titans from South Africa. The hosts, Leicestershire Foxes, were the 2004 Twenty20 Cup champions and the team line-up is completed by the PCA Masters XI who will take the field with a number of current and past test and one-day international players from around the world.
Teams will be drawn into groups of three and will play two group matches on the Thursday and Friday of the tournament. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the finals day on Saturday which will consist of two semi-finals and a final.
The event is the brainchild of Investors in Cricket (IIC). The company’s director of strategy for investors in cricket Alex Balfour said, “There is a huge appetite for cricket on the Indian subcontinent and this is reflected in the partnership deal that has been negotiated with Sony. We had a number of very competitive tenders from Indian broadcasters but are certain that by choosing to partner with Sony, we will gain substantial exposure in India and internationally. This is mirrored by the interest shown by our other broadcast partners in the UK and South Africa.”
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
