Sponsors line up for World Cup at Disney Star

The company has engaged PhonePe, Mahindra, Coca-Cola (Charged), Hindustan Unilever (Glow and Lovely), IndusInd Bank, Mondelez and Jindal Panther as broadcast sponsors.

For digital, the sponsors are Mahindra, Booking.com, Hindustan Unilever (Surf Excel), Louis Philippe, Kingfisher, Coca-Cola (Thums-Up), Black & White and MRF.

The event, which will be played at 10 venues across India, will be telecast on the Star Sports network, besides being streamed free for mobile users on Disney+ Hotstar.

Media experts say the broadcaster could potentially draw revenue of Rs 2,000-2,500 crore from the ICC CWC on both TV and digital since new-age advertisers are missing from the scene and the gaming category has taken a big hit due to the 28% goods and services tax (GST).

The company is believed to have earned Rs 200-220 crore from the recently concluded Asia Cup, against a target of Rs 500-600 crore.While Disney Star declined to comment, company executives have claimed that many more advertising deals are expected to close in the next few days.
Mindshare South Asia CEO Amin Lakhani said demand for advertising during the World Cup has seen a surge compared to what it was a month and a half ago.

“Depending on the appetite and the budget, clients are opting for sponsorships or customised packages that Disney Star has created,” he said.

EssenceMedia South Asia CEO Navin Khemka said advertisers are strongly considering the ICC CWC since it is happening in India and during the peak festive period. “The demand is not just for India matches but for the entire tournament. Clients should have, ideally, a holistic marketing plan if they want to get the desired results from a property like the ICC CWC,” he said.

Mediabrands India chief investment officer Hema Malik said traditional brands have taken centre stage for the ICC CWC, with brands from categories such as fast-moving consumer goods, auto, paints, banking, beverages and digital payments evincing much more interest. “ICC CWC will draw away a lot of festive ad spend since the tournament is in India. The Indian team’s good performance will add to the momentum for the property,” she said.

As reported by ET earlier, Star Sports has been seeking Rs 120 crore for co-presenting sponsorship and Rs 90 crore for associate sponsorship opportunities for the World Cup. The broadcaster is charging spot buyers Rs 31 lakh per 10-seconds for India and knockout matches.
Disney+ Hotstar priced its co-presenting sponsorship package at Rs 150 crore and Rs 75 crore for “powered by” sponsorship for the World Cup. The target for associate sponsorship is Rs 40 crore.

Advertisers who want to buy ad spots on mobile will have to fork out Rs 15 lakh per 10 seconds for the World Cup, and for Connected TV (CTV), the streamer is asking for Rs 4 lakh per 10 seconds for the World Cup. The cost per mille (CPM) for mid-roll ads is Rs 500 per 10 seconds for the India matches and Rs 230 per 10 seconds for others.