Sports
Shawn Hunter joins Total Sports Asia’s board of directors
MUMBAI: Chivas USA president/CEO Shawn Hunter has joined the board of Total Sports Asia (TSA).
TSA says that Hunter is an authority in sports marketing and has held senior positions with some of the top US national sports franchises and corporate sectors in his career.
TSA says that this appointment and the recent investor partnership agreement with Nectar Capital of the UK signals its intention to be the dominant force in sports marketing in Asia for a long time. The company, which started in Malaysia, now has offices in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai and Delhi.
Hunter will shape the company’s overall strategic growth plans, and bring to bear his expertise in the business of sports, including venue naming rights, sponsorship, league formation, and television rights acquisitions.
Hunter was AEG Sports CMO, president. He oversaw AEG’s marquee sports events and eleven sports teams worldwide, as well as the AEG’s marketing partnership with Chivas USA.
On behalf of AEG, Hunter was instrumental in AEG’s acquisition and development of London’s O2 Arena. He also secured the Los Angeles Galaxy’s multi-million dollar jersey-front sponsorship following British football star David Beckham’s signing.
Hunter says, “This part of the world is exploding in the sports and entertainment areas and Total Sports Asia is poised for amazing growth.”
Nectar Capital Managing Partner Scott Rudmann says, “We look forward to Shawn’s expert advise to chart TSA’s future growth path. Asia will see tremendous growth over the next 10 plus years in the sports and entertainment field. TSA is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this development and we congratulate the company on this appointment.”
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.
