iWorld
ZEE5 live streams Calcutta Football League matches
Mumbai: ZEE5 has announced its partnership with the Calcutta Football League, a historic football competition in West Bengal organised by the Indian Football Association. As a part of the partnership, the fans can now stream all the top matches live on ZEE5. This collaboration aims to captivate audiences, especially the fervent supporters of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, given their immense passion for the sport.
Kicked off on the 27 June, The Calcutta Football League will continue till the 30 September with ZEE5 featuring 26 teams divided in two groups of 13 teams playing a total of 199 matches. The tournament includes iconic teams such as Mohun Bagan SG, East Bengal FC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, and Diamond Harbour FC, amongst others. To cater to a diverse array of audiences, the matches would be streamed both in Bangla and English commentary, ensuring that fans can enjoy routing for their preferred team in their language of choice. Additionally, ZEE5 will offer video-on-demand (VOD) content, highlighting the best goals and key moments from the matches for fans to get up to speed with the league at their convenience even if they miss a few matches.
ZEE5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra stated, “We are delighted to partner with the Calcutta Football League to bring our audience an immersive football streaming experience. This partnership not only highlights ZEE5’s commitment to delivering high-quality sports content but also celebrates the rich football culture of Bengal. It exemplifies our dedication to pushing boundaries and ensuring a comprehensive viewing experience for our viewers.”
Indian Football Association secretary Anirban Dutta said, “We are thrilled that this deal has come to fruition, as it marks the first time the Calcutta Football League will be broadcasted on a major platform like ZEE5. This is a significant step forward for the league and its fans.”
Last year, c partnered with Big Bang Media to bring one of the biggest esports tournaments, IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023. The tournament had over 80,000 participants from across 40 countries in Asia and the Middle East. Following the big success of The DP World International League T20 Season 2, ZEE5 is also set to air the third season of ILT20 starting on 11 January 2025, featuring 34 matches culminating in the final on 9 February 2025.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
