Sports
Ormax Media launches Trac20 for IPL 2026 ad effectiveness
New syndicated study tracks sponsorship and ad impact weekly with 16,500 plus sample, real-time diagnostics for brands.
MUMBAI: IPL advertising just got a real-time scoreboard because when brands spend crores on cricket’s biggest stage, waiting for the final whistle to check ROI is no longer in play. Ormax Media has unveiled Ormax Trac20, a comprehensive syndicated research solution built specifically for brands sponsoring or advertising during IPL 2026. Launched on 24 February 2026, it is positioned as India’s largest-ever syndicated study on sponsorship and advertising effectiveness, delivering actionable insights throughout the tournament rather than just a post-season report card.
With a total sample exceeding 16,500 across its modules, Trac20 combines two core frameworks: a weekly ad-tracking module that monitors key metrics brand noticeability, creative cut-through, sponsorship recall, and consideration shifts and Ormax Mpact, a proprietary three-stage brand lift model covering pre-season baselines, mid-season diagnostics, and post-season evaluation.
The tool addresses a pressing marketer pain point: IPL remains India’s most powerful and competitive media platform, but high spends, clutter, and fragmented viewing (linear TV plus digital) make it hard to know what’s working while the tournament is live. Trac20 provides weekly reporting and mid-season checkpoints so brands can optimise media weights, creative rotations, sponsorship activations, and overall strategy in real time.
Ormax Media founder & CEO Shailesh Kapoor said, “IPL is the biggest advertising stage in India, but it is also expensive and highly cluttered. Ormax Trac20 is going to be India’s largest research on ad and sponsorship effectiveness of all time. It will help IPL sponsors and advertisers measure better, benchmark smarter, and optimise faster.”
Designed for franchise sponsors, thematic partners, large FCT buys, and digital spends alike, the study aims to help both established sponsors and new category entrants gain sharper ROI accountability in a high-stakes environment.
In a season where every six can shift brand fortunes, Trac20 gives marketers a live tracker turning guesswork into game plan and helping every rupee hit the boundary instead of vanishing into the stands.
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.
