The Hindu Business Line : IMG helps brands leverage Chennai tennis Open

Chennai, Dec. 31 IMG, the sports, leisure and lifestyle management group, which owns and organises the international ATP tennis Open in Chennai, is looking to help the multitude of brands which are sponsors of the Open, to leverage the tournament in innovative ways.

The tournament, now in its thirteenth year in the city, has seen several more brands such as Frazer Foods, TVS Scooty, Pepsi and real estate firm Emaar MGF come on board as associate sponsors of the event, which will see four top-20 ranked players and eight players who have been in the top 50 during 2007.

Mr Balu Nayar

Mr Balu Nayar, Managing Director, IMG India, speaking to Business Line, illustrated how brands could conduct small events around the Chennai Open rather than be static sponsors. For example, he pointed out, energy drink Boost will host a contest for kids for the loudest shout of the brand’s tag line: ‘... secret of my energy’, to be recorded by a decibel device. That as well as a ‘Boost play the pros’ evening.

Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj will visit city colleges for women to speak at events hosted by TVS Scooty, given that the Scooty’s main target buyers are women. L&T will hold a tennis quiz, Rolex charity auctions for tennis memorabilia while Mercedes Benz will organise a remote-controlled mini-car rally around the main tennis court for kids. And, even events such as guessing how many balls in a barrel.

Licensing pacts

Mr Nayar said that IMG was looking to bring in international brands into India under licensing arrangements. Recently, IMG entered into a deal with Gitanjali Gems to make Wimbledon branded jewellery.

IMG, which represents Wimbledon, has licensed the jewellery maker to retail this jewellery in markets across the US, the UK, India, China and West Asia. “Our strategy is to get international brands into India through licensing deals. IMG has the rights for Oxford University, several US universities and golfer Arnold Palmer, among others,” said Mr Nayar. IMG is in talks with apparel makers in India to retail Wimbledon-branded apparel as well as Oxford University apparel, which could range from sweatshirts to formalwear such as blazers, he explained.

IMG is also structuring the licensing deals for the Indian Premier League for its 44-day T20 cricket tournament starting April 18.

On extending IMG’s activities in India, Mr Nayar said that the company, which recently acquired two production outfits in the UK, will look at setting up a production house for entertainment software in India.

“With 330 channels and more to come, there’s a shortage of talent and programming,” added Mr Nayar. It has also signed a deal to develop a golf course in Goa, to be designed by ace golfer Vijay Singh, and down the road it will plan on setting up sports academies in the country as well.

Asked whether it will continue its celebrity management practice — it had signed on actor Madhavan as well earlier — Mr Nayar said that will not be IMG’s focus any longer.

“The licensing business is a key strength for us; it’s far more strategic than endorsements,” he elaborated.

IMG, which manages celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova among others, will instead look at taking Indian celebrity brands abroad, if they have a strong franchise outside India. IMG is not managing any sportsperson in India now, he added.