News Broadcasting
YES BANK signs multi-year deal with Hockey India League as Associate Sponsor
NEW DELHI: YES BANK, India’s fourth largest private sector Bank, signs a multi-year deal with the Hockey India League (HIL) commencing with the 2014 season.
Announcing the deal, HIL Chairman, Dr Narinder Batra, said: “This is a fantastic, long-term partnership for the League. We look forward to our association with YES BANK to mobilise sports innovation and infuse positive energy into Hockey. HIL had a terrific start last year and we are certain with YES BANK on board, it will benefit both the League and our millions of followers around the world. I welcome YES BANK to the HIL family and our joint vision and commitment to the league and its fans will help make the League one of the best and the biggest in the world.”
YES BANK has been recognized amongst the India’a Top and Fastest Growing Banks and now this home grown iconic Indian brand will join HIL’s other leading brand partners- Hero MotoCorp and Airtel.
Rana Kapoor, Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK said: “YES BANK is fully committed to the growth and development of India’s most participative sport – Hockey. Through its vibrant & innovative sporting format, HIL brings together the entire country, irrespective of regional or demographic diversity, as also grooms a steady pool of young, talented players for the Indian National Team. We are extremely pleased to associate with the Hockey India League. Through our dedicated Sports Banking proposition, we are also committed to provide a robust financial infrastructure to support sports through customised banking solutions for various Hockey Associations, Teams as well as Players.”
In the inaugural season, 70 top domestic players including the Indian national side as well as 50 international players who are part of the national squads of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, Spain, and Argentina played for the five franchise teams.
Of the 120 players who played in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League in 2013, 60 were Olympians. The list includes winners of the prestigious FIH Player of the Year Award including Jamie Dwyer (2004, 2009, 2010, 2011), Teun de Nooijer (2003, 2005, 2006) and Moritz Fuerste (2012). Seven of the top 10 FIH rated players played in the Hero HIL 2013.
More than 69 million fans across the world watched the inaugural tournament won by the Ranchi Rhinos telecast in 146 countries. HIL used innovative marketing mediums and currently has 5.59 lac fans on Facebook, making it the largest hockey facebook page in the world and is one of the most engaging sports leagues on the social media platform.
Six franchise teams will feature in the second season of the Hero Hockey India League to be held from 25 January to 23 February 2014. The League will be an opportunity for 144 leading players to showcase their skills in 34 matches at six different venues.
Star Sports, Broadcast Partner of the Hero HIL will telecast all the matches live.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
