Mumbai, India (PressExposure) December 02, 2010 -- The NBA announced today that fans in India will be able to watch a record number of live games, prime-time replays, and original NBA programming as a result of the league's new multiyear partnerships with Taj Television and Multi Screen Media (MSM). The unprecedented NBA coverage is part of the league's continued expansion in India.
"Taj Television and MSM provide the NBA with two complimentary partners that have a proven track record of success and their local expertise will help connect the NBA to its growing fan base in India," said NBA President of International Heidi Ueberroth. "The breadth of programming provided by both partners will provide fans access to the most comprehensive NBA coverage that we have ever had in India."
Taj Television, which operates the Ten-branded sports channels, will televise two games per week on Ten Sports each Thursday and Saturday with replays of each game in prime time. They will also televise the NBA's marquee events live, including NBA All-Star, the NBA Playoffs, one NBA Conference Finals and The Finals.
Taj Television will locally produce NBA dedicated highlight recaps as well as features on NBA grassroots events in India which will air on Ten Sports and select Zee Network regional channels throughout the season. In addition, thirty-six episodes of Real NBA, a half-hour weekly reality program that provides viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at the biggest stories from around the league, will air in prime time on Ten Sports, and on some of Zee Network's leading regional channels in local dialects.
"The NBA has a growing audience in India and Ten Sports will enhance the viewing experience by providing additional insight, localized content, and interviews apart from the traditional telecast," said CEO of Sports Business ZEEL Atul Pande. "I am sure we will enjoy a long relationship with the NBA as we are committed to being a leader in acquiring, producing and televising the most important sports programming."
MSM will televise all NBA coverage on PIX including two live games per week on Wednesday and Friday. PIX will have live coverage of the NBA Playoffs and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011 and the Western Conference Finals in 2012. PIX will also air 36 episodes of NBA Action, a globally renowned highlights show that captures the latest game action and league news, giving fans an inside look at the best players in the NBA.
A new weekly original program, NBA in 30, will also debut on PIX. Each episode of NBA in 30 will showcase a condensed game in thirty minutes.
"The NBA is one of the world's top sports properties, and is comprised of some of the greatest athletes on the planet," said MSM India CEO Man Jit Singh. "This historic agreement allows PIX to deliver all of the action and excitement of the NBA to Indian sports fans, while launching a partnership between MSM and the NBA which we expect to widen and grow through the years."
ABOUT TEN SPORTS:
Ten Sports is packed with sensational sports action throughout the year and holds exclusive and long term broadcast rights to five cricket boards, UEFA Champions League, Spanish La Liga, Europa League, US Open Tennis, WWE and others. The Ten portfolio consists of the Ten Sports, Ten Cricket and Ten Action+ channels, digital studio facilities and integrated transmission services for various broadcast clients. With such an impressive line up of sports across the spectrum, Ten channels are the most watched sports channels by far across the sub-continent. Recent viewing data shows that the channel enjoys over 50% share of viewing of sports channels in India and the pattern is repeated across the region.
ABOUT PIX
PIX, the English Movie Channel owned by Multi Screen Media Private Limited, launched in April 2006 by Hollywood superstar Will Smith. The channel quickly outperformed existing channels and became No. 3 within four months. PIX currently competes on a weekly basis for the top spot in the six major metros. In fact, PIX was India's #1 English movie channel during the month of November (6 metros, All Day GRPs, SEC A/B). The channel's tagline "We Tell Stories," stresses PIX's positioning as the only movie channel which places such great importance on the storytelling element of movies. PIX features films are selected from some of the best producers and top Hollywood studios.
PIX places an emphasis on programming strategy and on airing exclusive cinema oriented programming and creating innovative original content. The channel has launched signature shows and programming such as Chicks on Flick and Gateway, and also airs Hollywood related series such as Inside the Actors Studio, Hollywood One on One, and Hollywood on Set. Recently in September 2010, PIX signed an exclusive output deal with Sony Pictures Television (SPT) whereby the channel gains Indian television rights for all new blockbusters released worldwide by SPT.