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Behind The Scenes of India’s Greatest Love

Seventeen years after their first triumph in 2007, India secured its second ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 title.

This victory is monumental, igniting celebrations across the nation and marking a pinnacle moment in cricket history. As fans revel in this achievement, it's time to step back and appreciate the incredible behind-the-scenes efforts that made this event a spectacular viewing experience. 

Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the tournament in India, brought every thrilling moment to millions of viewers worldwide. From the electrifying atmosphere in the stadiums to the intimate details captured on and off the field, Star Sports ensured that every cricket enthusiast felt the pulse of the game. Join us as we delve into the backstage efforts, state-of-the-art broadcasting setups, and untold stories of the crew who worked tirelessly to deliver an unparalleled viewing experience. 

Dialling Up National Pride

At the heart of Star Sports' strategy was a profound focus on evoking national pride and celebrating cricketing heroes.

The campaign' India Stands for India' was designed to resonate deeply with fans, featuring Team India and former cricketers discussing the significance of the national anthem. This campaign was more than just a marketing effort; it was a movement that spanned six continents, capturing the spirit of Indian cricket fandom from around the globe.

Celebrating Heroes

Cricket is as much about the players as it is about the game. Star Sports' strategy included celebrating cricketing icons and their incredible journeys:

RO-KO - Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: With the anticipation that this might be their last ICC Men's T20 World Cup, special focus was placed on these two legends. From exclusive shows capturing their preparations to dedicated cameras during matches, every moment was documented, ensuring fans cherished every second of their heroes' journey.

Believe story - Rishabh Pant: His inspiring comeback from a near-death experience was a narrative of belief and determination. Star Sports followed his journey closely, celebrating his return to the Indian team and his crucial contributions to India's victory.

Believe story - Hardik Pandya: From controversy to heroism, Hardik's story was one of redemption. His journey from being surrounded by controversy during the IPL to becoming one of the biggest heroes of the final was a testament to his resilience and skill.

Rahul Dravid: The campaign "Do it for Dravid" became a rallying cry. Rohit and Kohli's desire to win the World Cup for Dravid, who had served Indian cricket for so long without winning a World Cup, resonated deeply with fans, creating a powerful narrative.

The audience's response to these personal and emotional stories was overwhelmingly positive. Fans connected with the human emotions and inspiring narratives, creating significant buzz and traction on social media platforms.

Engaging the Audience: Social Media Strategy

Star Sports' social media strategy was all about fan engagement.

They focused on 'DRIVING conversations' with original content like the 'Do it for Dravid' campaign and 'RIDING conversations' by jumping on trending topics, sharing celebration moments, player reactions, and fan videos from all over India. 

Navjot Singh Sidhu's return to the commentary box stole the show. His "siddhuisms" became a viral sensation, almost as popular as Team India's stunning performance on the field.

 

Cricket legends like Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravi Shastri, and Sunil Gavaskar, along with global stars Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Nasser Hussain, Matthew Hayden, and Dale Steyn, joined the coverage, adding star power and expert insights.

Pre-game shows captured the vibrant colours of New York, Florida, and the Caribbean. They were hosted outdoors at iconic locations like the top of Rockefeller Center and the beaches of Miami and Barbados. "DIL SE INDIA," an all-day live program for all India matches, celebrated each game, keeping fans entertained and engaged throughout the day.

Moment marketing clips were used to build urgency, encouraging fans to watch the matches live. This strategy proved highly effective, with nearly 4,300 videos garnering 3 billion views—a staggering 24-fold increase from the previous year.

Regional Coverage: Tailoring Content for Diversity

Star Sports' commitment to providing a tailored viewing experience was exemplified by its extensive regional coverage. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 was broadcast in seven regional languages: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, and Bangla. To resonate with regional audiences, over 60 commentators worked on these seven feeds from both the production H.Q. in Mumbai and through remote production from the regional offices in Kochi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

Key commentators for the regional feeds included notable names such as former World Champions K Srikanth and S Sreesanth for Tamil, A Rayudu, MSK Prasad, and Mithali Raj for Telugu, along with Vinay Kumar and Vijay Bharadwaj for Kannada. Each region's commentary team was carefully selected to include former cricketers, local celebrities, and experienced broadcasters.

Regional Narratives: Integrating Local Flavor

The regional team ensured the match-day coverage was curated through stories and narratives relevant to each market through customized storytelling. For the Tamil feed, segments like "Travel Agent Ulaganathan" and "Ayalooril Ayyachaami" captured the sights and sounds of the USA for Indian cricket fans and provided humorous social media recaps. The Telugu feed featured "Prediction Parabhamam," a cricket-horoscope satire series, and "Bomma Borusu," a debate series, to engage viewers with match-day insights. Kannada's "Dravid-acharya" and "Cricket Paatshala" segments focused on decoding the game and highlighting coach Dravid's influence.

A lot of planning and effort from the entire team went into ensuring a comprehensive, customized language broadcast for our regional viewers. This was curated through market-specific storytelling and pop-culture references, delivered with that fine balance of cricket analytics and entertainment.

Disney Star's Production Excellence

With a focus on delivering a top-tier viewing experience for almost 2 billion fans globally, Star Sports objective was to captivate current fans and attract new ones across diverse regions, demographics, and platforms. They were determined to enhance the tournament context by elevating the competition's narratives, delving deeper into the contests, and creating seminal cultural moments around the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. 

From the tournament start in Guyana on June 2, through the venues in the U.S. (New York, Dallas, and Miami) and the Caribbean (Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, and St. Lucia), Star Sports brought the game closer to the fans, capturing the myriad colors of fandom. This massive effort involved more than 450 production personnel deployed across nine venues, with a robust roster of over 40 commentators from 12 countries building narratives, elevating moments, telling compelling stories, and providing nuanced insights. Production crews from 17 nations supported this effort, making it a truly global broadcast.

The World-Feed Backbone

Star Sports was hired by the ICC as a Production Services Partner for producing the world feeds onsite and puttingtogether the unilateral coverage for viewers in India from its Star Sports H.Q. The production logistics were handled meticulously, with all matches distributed worldwide via fibre, an Asian satellite, and London's B.T. Tower, ensuring seamless remote production for the first time from the U.S. and W.I.

Innovative Technology and Inclusivity

The event had over 40 cameras, including ultra-motion cameras, slow-motion units, Hawk-Eye, Spider cam, buggy, drone, and run-out cameras, deployed for comprehensive coverage. Augmented-reality sequences put together by the ICC and provided by Silver Spoon added a futuristic touch to the opening and closing ceremonies.

A dedicated vertical "made for mobile devices" feed, an AI-supported first for cricket, ensured fans could enjoy the matches on their preferred devices. Additionally, a parallel service catered to viewers with partial or complete hearing or sight impairment, making the viewing experience more inclusive.

Unilateral Coverage for Indian Fans

Given cricket's massive popularity in India, Star Sports provided 15 fully customized feeds, serving almost 400 million viewers in multiple languages with tailored video, commentary, and graphics. Separate shows for linear and digital viewers in their languages brought the total count of customized feeds to 15.

Star Sports studios in India used X.R. for live sports coverage for the first time, partnering with advertisers to build campaigns using A.R. and V.R., enhancing the viewer experience beyond traditional broadcasts.

In the grand spectacle of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, Star Sports not only delivered unmatched coverage but also created a legacy of innovation, inclusivity, and celebration, leaving an indelible mark on the world of cricket broadcasting.

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