Sports
ESS renews EPL rights till 2013
MUMBAI
As a part of this arrangement, for the first time, all 380 BPL matches will be available to be shown live across multiple platforms including television, Internet and Mobile with up to 190 matches available on a VOD basis.
It has been learnt that Nimbus was the only other bidder for India. ESS says that its partnership with the Premier League stretches back more than a decade, a relationship which has seen the BPL brand enjoy massive growth in India since its initial broadcast on the ESS networks in 1995. In addition to India, ESS has also clinched exclusive rights for another 17 markets across Asia: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Maldives, Mongolia, Indonesia, The Philippines, East Timor, Cambodia, Laos, North and South Korea and in partnership with Astro for Malaysia and Brunei.
ESS MD Manu Sawhney said, “We have been showcasing the BPL in India for over a decade now and we are very pleased to further extend this association for another three seasons. This renewal underlines our commitment to football fans in India as we continue providing the most compelling content to our viewers and an excellent promotional platform for our business partners.
“We are very excited to renew our partnership with the Premier League with who we share a very strong relationship in many markets across the region. A relationship which has carried through to the fan with our coverage of live matches and continued focus towards developing the property with original, localised football programming and marketing activities and we are very pleased with our efforts in building a strong and loyal franchise of fans for Barclays Premier League in the Indian subcontinent.”
Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore said, “We have worked with ESPN Star Sports in a number of overseas territories for many years and we are very pleased to extend that partnership for seasons 2010/11 – 2012/13.
“We are proud to be working with an organisation that is world renowned for quality sports broadcasting and we have every confidence that they will continue to broadcast Barclays Premier League football in an exciting and innovative manner.”
Sports
After Virat Kohli’s exit, One8 Commune Bengaluru shuts down
Outlet near Chinnaswamy closes amid rent row, compliance issues mount
BENGALURU: The One8 Commune outlet near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has shut down following a court order, bringing a turbulent chapter for the high-profile dining destination to a close.
The immediate trigger was a legal dispute over unpaid dues. The outlet, operated by Trio Hills Hospitality, had reportedly defaulted on rent payments for nearly six months. Including maintenance charges and revenue share commitments, the outstanding amount is said to have crossed Rs 2 crore. A Bengaluru civil court subsequently directed the closure of the premises until all financial obligations are cleared.
The shutdown comes months after Virat Kohli, whose brand name lent the outlet its identity, had already distanced himself from the Bengaluru franchise. According to reports, concerns around repeated compliance-related issues prompted his team to withdraw the association. The removal of the One8 branding is believed to have impacted footfall, further straining the business.
The outlet had also faced regulatory scrutiny over the years. In 2024, authorities booked the establishment for operating beyond the 1:00 am curfew. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had issued notices over missing fire safety clearances, while an FIR was filed for violating tobacco regulations by not providing a designated smoking zone under applicable laws.
In response to the closure, the brand maintained that the issue stemmed from building-level compliance responsibilities linked to the property owner rather than operational lapses on its part. It also denied that financial default was the primary reason, reiterating that customer safety remained a priority.
For now, the shutters remain down. While a reopening is theoretically possible if disputes are resolved, the absence of Kohli’s brand association makes a return under the One8 banner increasingly unlikely.
