Star Sports India ropes in MS Dhoni to promote English Premier League 2013

The English Premier League is bound to start this week and is quite a subject for discussion with the Indian Football fanatics. But India is known for it’s Cricket and not much for it’s Football. To change that scenario, Star Sports India, the official broadcaster of the English Premier League in India has roped in Mahendra Singh Dhoni to spread football to the corners of the Indian population. The most successful Indian Cricket captain is also an avid Manchester United Fan, so the tie up was a no-brainer.

English Premier League Promotion on Social Media:

You would expect everything on a grand scale with the world’s biggest league starting this weekend. However,Star Sports India’s Facebook Page has started promoting Dhoni’s association with the league to inculcate the passion among the Football enthusiasts in India. The Facebook page which boasts of more than 619K fans has been spreading out countdown timers to the start of the league on Facebook.

The YouTube TVC starring Dhoni has been uploaded on their YouTube Channel and am sure will pick up traction as the league progresses. Star Sports India’s Twitter Channel has been asking followers questions around the league with #footiehour gossiping some facts around the English Premier League and asking followers about their opinions.

Will this benefit the Game in India?

Asking one of the most popular cricketers in India to endorse a non-familar sport in the country is surely a great move by the Channel.In a country where people only know Bhaichung Bhutia as an Indian footballer who had any fame at all, this can ensure that the category of ‘Dhoni Lovers who don’t watch football’ to tune in to the Englsih Premier League. And with Star Sports offering Hindi commentary from the start of this season, it will surely ensure that language is not a barrier anymore in understanding and enjoying the game anymore.

However, with the start of yet another awesome Barclays Premier League season, i did expect Star Sports India to come up with a cool pre-season campaign launch surrounding Dhoni (or atleast the clubs) to spread maximum awareness to tune in to the first round of games this season. But with an extended partnership with the Superstar of Indian Cricket, I am sure a big social media campaign (On the Lines of ‘Join The Game’) is just around the Corner. And with MS Dhoni’s favorite team being Manchester United, you can expect some more newbies to tune in to the Red Devils side for this season.

Readers, Will you be following the English Premier League this season along with MS Dhoni?

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  • Abhishek Verma

    I think it is a brilliant move by Star India, this will expand the market and bring in new viewers, India has always had EPL fans but they have been a niche elite group. Also by adding Hindi commentary, it really helps. As far as social media goes, they could have upped the game by adding interesting content for the digital space

    • http://www.digitalinsights.in/ Digital Insights

      Thanks Abhishek for stopping by and expressing your opinion here. We agree with you that adding Social Media tactics around this would have been better, may be its on the way!
      We personally believe its a great move but will Indian audience going to consume and accept this move is a concern.

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