Sports
Vida Knights Electrifying Box Cricket crowns champions in Kolkata
KKR fan tournament sees 32 teams battle over three days; Joy Game Changers lift inaugural title on 21 February 2026.
MUMBAI: Kolkata’s streets just hosted a cricket revolution because when fans swap the stands for the pitch, every boundary feels like a personal six. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), in partnership with Vida powered by Hero, wrapped up their first large-scale fan-only box cricket tournament, Vida Knights Electrifying Box Cricket, from 19–21 February 2026. The high-energy, grassroots event transformed neighbourhood pride into competitive fire, giving amateur players, fan clubs, and local heroes a professionally run stage inside the Knight Riders universe.
Across three non-stop days, 32 teams of 10 players each fought through group stages and knockouts in a fast-paced format packed with innovation. Joy Game Changers emerged as inaugural champions, with Knights Dé Xtreme taking runners-up honours after a weekend of noise, skill, and bragging rights that echoed Kolkata’s deep cricket passion.
Adding star power to the mix, one of the 32 teams featured popular local creators Neel Bhattacharya, Dasoham, Rahul Dey, Saiket Dey, and Nirit Datta blending digital fandom with on-ground action in a format that erased the line between watching and playing.
The tournament reimagined box cricket with Vida-branded twists, bonus targets rewarded precision shots (nodding to the scooter’s removable battery), the Vida Electric Over doubled every run and banned dismissals for explosive momentum, and the Impact Player rule let teams unleash a game-changer at clutch moments. Matches stayed unpredictable and adrenaline-charged right to the final delivery.
Knight Riders Sports group chief marketing officer Binda Dey said, “Cricket has always lived in the heart of Kolkata. With VIDA Knights Electrifying Box Cricket, we took the game back to the fans in a format that’s fast, accessible, and powered by participation.”
Motocorp chief business officer of Hero emerging mobility business unit Kausalya Nandakumar added, “Our association with KKR is rooted in confidence, resilience, and aspiration. VIDA Knights Electrifying Box Cricket brings cricket’s unmatched passion to the streets, creating a platform where supporters not only watch but play and engage.”
For a city where cricket isn’t just followed but lived, this tournament proved fandom runs deepest when it’s played on the same turf electric shots, community cheers, and zero distance between hero and hero-worshipper.
Sports
IPL 2026 shows widening gap between CTV and TV advertising trends
Ecom leads CTV with 39 per cent, 30 plus shared categories, distinct advertiser mix.
MUMBAI: If cricket is the same on every screen, advertising clearly isn’t. A new analysis by TAM Sports reveals a widening gap between Connected TV (CTV) and linear television advertising during IPL 2026, with brands and categories playing very different innings across platforms. On CTV, digital-first categories dominated. E-commerce media, entertainment and social media led with a commanding 39 per cent share, followed by e-commerce services at 11 per cent. Smartphones and cars each accounted for 6 per cent, while air conditioners contributed 4 per cent highlighting a strong tilt towards tech-led and high-consideration categories.
Linear TV, in contrast, leaned heavily into mass-market staples. Mouth fresheners topped the chart with 14 per cent, closely followed by e-commerce services at 13 per cent. Financial institutions held a 6 per cent share, while paints and e-commerce wallets each stood at 5 per cent, reflecting a more traditional advertising mix.
The divergence extends to advertisers as well. On CTV, Star India (JioHotstar) led with a dominant 39 per cent share, followed by Google at 17 per cent. Havells India, Renault India and Reliance Consumer Products rounded out the top five with smaller shares. Linear TV saw Google in the lead at 12 per cent, with Reliance Consumer Products at 10 per cent, followed by Vishnu Packaging and Havells India at 6 per cent each, and K P Pan Foods at 5 per cent.
Despite these differences, there is some overlap. The study identified 30 plus common categories and 25 plus common advertisers across both platforms, based on 22 matches analysed. Shared categories included e-commerce media, e-commerce services, mouth fresheners, paints and cars, while common advertisers featured Star India (JioHotstar), Google and Reliance Consumer Products.
Yet, exclusivity tells the sharper story. CTV saw over 20 exclusive categories and 30 plus unique advertisers, including smartphones, credit cards, fast food outlets and hotels, with brands such as Renault India, Tata Motors and Voltas featuring prominently. Linear TV, meanwhile, had 15 plus exclusive categories and 20 plus advertisers, including chocolates, jewellery, perfumes and mortgage loans, with names like Cadbury India, Skoda Auto and Amul in the mix.
The findings point to a structural shift in how advertisers are approaching big-ticket sporting events. While linear TV continues to deliver scale and familiarity, CTV is emerging as a playground for digital-native categories and more targeted brand storytelling.
In the IPL’s advertising game, it seems the format may be the same but the strategy is anything but uniform.
