- In a first, Twitter audiences in India will be able to view premium in-match cricket video content on their timeline
- Unparalleled second screen experience planned for sports fans on Twitter for India’s upcoming cricket tours with Sri Lanka and England
- Brands can also align with the premium video content via pre-roll ads or promoted videos to reach sports audiences in real-time
India, 15 July 2021: Twitter and Sony Pictures Networks (@SonySportsIndia) India are coming together to bring the best of sporting action to people on Twitter for the upcoming cricket season. As excitement and anticipation mount for the Indian cricket team’s Sri Lanka and England tours, for the first time, people in India will be able to experience cricket video content on their timeline with in-match and powerplay highlights.
Sports’ most ardent fans turn to Twitter to get the latest sports news, enhance their viewing experience or just stay connected to other fans of the game, turning the service into a virtual stadium. Recent Twitter research found that 69% of all people on Twitter in India classify themselves as cricket fans and 30% of people describe themselves as huge fans. 51% of cricket fans on Twitter read posts about matches, players, news reports; this season, 25% of fans plan to engage with Tweets during the match and 31% of fans plan to watch videos and 25% of fans want to follow the teams on the service.
Over the past year, while fans have not had access to the in-stadium experience, Twitter has given them a front-row seat to all the action from the men-in-blue. For the first time, with the sports channels of Sony Pictures Networks’ (@SonySportsIndia) live coverage of the tours on Twitter, cricket fans will be able to consume video highlights and be a part of every moment of every game in real-time. From heart-stopping fall of wickets, cracking 4’s and boundary-defying 6’s to classic Man of the Match clips, as well as audience-favourites like the best catches of the match. These video highlights, as well as Twitter Moments, will be available for fans across various cricket formats giving them an unparalleled experience:
- India vs. Sri Lanka Series (starting July 18)
- India vs England Series (starting August 4)
Speaking of the partnership, Amrita Tripathi, who leads global content partnerships for Twitter in India, said, “While the sports experience has changed in recent times, the roar of sports fans on Twitter is louder than ever. Conversations around cricket leagues in 2020 increased by 23% when compared to those in 2019 – which in itself was a record-breaker with 27 million Tweets. We are delighted to partner with Sony to bring in-match premium cricket video content to people on Twitter in India for the very first time, building on a promising content partnership with one of the top sports broadcasters in the region.”
Manish Aggarwal, Head – Growth and Monetisation, Digital Business, Sony Pictures Networks India said, “We are excited to partner with Twitter and take our viewer engagement to the next level. It is a pleasure to come together and be able to reach out to cricket enthusiasts with video highlights. Since it is a new and refreshing phenomenon, the viewers will now have one more platform to share/discuss and express their views on the matches.”
Publisher partnerships on Twitter provide consumers with premium content and can also be leveraged by brands with Twitter Amplify. This partnership with Sony Pictures Networks will offer brands the chance to align their ads via pre-rolls with this premium content, thus amplifying their ads when audiences on Twitter are the most leaned-in. Learn more about Amplify for publishers and advertisers here.
Through the course of this year, Twitter will bring you a range of different cricket content from partners, like the sports channels of Sony Pictures Networks India, including Twitter Spaces and behind the scenes action with the Twitter #BlueRoom for the upcoming World Cup series and India vs. Australia women’s series.
