Sports
SingTel wins exclusive rights to the Barclays Premier League
MUMBAI: Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) has announced that it has won the bid for the rights to the Barclays Premier League matches for three years commencing August 2010.
These include rights for mio TV, as well as the Internet and mobile.
SingTel CEO Allen Lew says, “We are delighted that SingTel will be bringing Barclays Premier League matches to Singapore. Football fans can look forward to a revolutionary way of viewing ‘live’ soccer matches on TV, the Internet and their mobile phones.
“Best of all, they will not be charged more than what they are currently paying to their cable TV operator, while at the same time enjoying superior experience and convenience from our integrated platform offering,” Lew adds.
Meanwhile, SingTel has also secured the broadcast rights to a suite of sports networks and services from ESPN Star Sports (ESS) for its mio TV customers, starting mid-2010.
Three of the channels are ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket that are currently available on a cable TV platform. These are ESS’ current flagship channel offerings, featuring sporting events including The FA Cup, AFC, Formula One, the Australian Open, Wimbledon, The Open Championship (golf) and the US Open Golf Championship.
ESPNEWS, a new 24-hours sports news channel, is planning to go ‘live’ on SingTel’s mio TV in November.
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.
