Neo Sports battling IPL, SRK for ad money

By Samidha Sharma, CNBC-TV18

The India-South Africa Cricket Test Series is battling the red-hot IPL and SRK for advertising money!

With Rs 250-300 crore of combined ad monies riding on the maiden telecast of the IPL on Set Max and the SRK starrer Paanchvi Paas on Star Plus  - the India-South Africa test series has had it tough. Media planners say that these two mega properties lined up for April have already attracted a lot of money from the market impacting the rates at which the series is currently being sold. Sources say that a ten second spot for the series has been sold at around Rs 35-40,000 - a downside of almost 20-25% from a typical test series between the two nations.

But Neo Sports -- which is broadcasting the India-South Africa test series says it's not worried - it has signed on a list of sponsors.

Sunil Manocha, Neo Sports said, "There has been no impact; we have got what we expected from the series. Infact, cricket is back and that has benefited us."

The big bucks have gone to Sony, which is broadcasting IPL -with brands like Vodafone and Hyundai signing on as presenting sponsors, while the biggest offering from Star Plus after KBC has closed all its 11 sponsors. The latest to join the bandwagon are Havells, Gujarat Ambuja and Tata Sky.

Media planners say that Neo Sports is still left with around 50 percent of inventory, which is making advertisers consider the test series as a low-cost tactical buy. While advertisers wait and watch for the series to unfold, the channel expects to rake in around Rs 70 crore of ad revenue from the series.