Cricket is the cornerstone of Sony’s sports offerings: Gaurav Banerjee

Gaurav Banerjee, SPNI’s new MD & CEO, is hitting the ground running. From revamping Sony TV’s content strategy to boost viewership to clinching exclusive ACC media rights (2024–2031), he’s making bold, strategic moves.

In his first interview after taking over as SPNI's leader, Banerjee reflects on the ACC win and his vision for the media network.

Edited excerpts:

Congratulations on finishing a very successful three months. What have been the highlights?

Thanks a lot! It's been a lot of fun. I spent the first few weeks listening to my colleagues and to the larger team - I wanted to understand what excites them about the future and also what were the concerns, and then, we have gotten into figuring out where we want to go. We have had some early wins, as you know, and that adds to our confidence. 

You just announced securing the exclusive media rights for all ACC tournaments from 2024 to 2031. It is a significant milestone in sports broadcasting. How does Sony plan to diversify its sports offerings in the Indian market, and what are the long-term goals for this expansion?

Sony has consistently been a strong player in India's sports broadcasting industry. We will stay true to Sony's core strengths. We want to choose carefully and invest sensibly in sports that we believe we can grow with innovative product offerings that fans will care about.

Sony pioneered innovative concepts like Extra Innings, which are integral to our brand identity. The brand's strategic investments in 360-degree coverage, premium content and effective marketing have been key to its success.

So, by consistently evaluating and investing appropriately in intellectual property (IP), we can enhance our surround content and present it to consumers in innovative ways. This strategic approach ensures that our offerings remain engaging and relevant.

We aim to apply these principles to all our sports. Cricket, in particular, offers exciting opportunities with marquee events in the calendar with us.

The upcoming India-England Test series and the T20 Asia Cup, both featuring the Indian cricket team, provide us with excellent opportunities to showcase the best of Sony's entertainment and sports offerings.

Given the significant investments made in acquiring the ACC media rights, what is the strategic plan to maximise the value of these assets, attract premium brands and ensure a strong return on investment?

We are planning to make a significant push, but that depends on several factors.

The key question is how we can put together a comprehensive package that excites brands to partner with us. We aim to approach this innovatively and we need to carefully think through and build this plan over the next few months.

Fortunately, we have time. If we execute this well, I believe this initiative will become a very large and significant contributor to our top line. In pure content terms, these are substantial investments we have chosen to make.

We’ve made these investments because we are confident that with our understanding of branding and our expertise in the sport, we can deliver exceptional viewership numbers. These are highly prestigious properties, and many key brands will naturally want to be associated with them.

Everyone in the market recognises that cricket, when executed correctly, has unparalleled reach. We certainly intend to leverage that to its fullest potential.

The ACC media rights include high-profile India-Pakistan matches, how does Sony plan to leverage these marquee matchups to maximise viewership, engagement and advertising revenue?

If you look at the ratings over the last two years, the biggest peaks, apart from global tournament finals featuring India, consistently come from India-Pakistan matches. From a consumer standpoint, the demand for these matches is phenomenal, and the data clearly supports this.

Our responsibility is to ensure fans are fully aware of these events and to build excitement around them effectively. This is an incredible opportunity, and we’re genuinely thrilled about it. A lot of the finer details will also become apparent as the tournament unfolds. For instance, new players emerge all the time. We recently witnessed an incredible Test match with the Indian cricket team where several new stars came to the forefront. Yashasvi Jaiswal, for example, has become a global cricket sensation over the past year. While we don’t yet know the exact line-ups, it’s likely he will feature in the T20 tournament—his debut in such a high-profile event. These contextual elements will play a crucial role in shaping how we present the tournament to fans. For example, it could be the first time Yashasvi Jaiswal faces off against a Shaheen Afridi. These match-ups are the heart of this historic rivalry.

As a passionate cricket fan, some of my most vivid memories are of legendary face-offs: Sachin Tendulkar versus Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, Sunil Gavaskar against Imran Khan, and more recently, Virat Kohli taking on Haris Rauf. It’s match-ups like these that truly captivate fans, and identifying and highlighting the right ones will be critical to engaging our audience.

We are also returning to elite cricket broadcasting after a bit of a hiatus, which has everyone at Sony incredibly excited. Personally, this is my first opportunity too. I’m optimistic that we’ll bring fresh, innovative ideas to elevate the fan experience and make it truly unforgettable.

This deal is set to run through 2031, making it a significant long-term partnership. What are the specific long-term goals or benefits that Sony hopes to achieve with the ACC deal?

The most important aspect for us is demonstrating to Sony's partners and viewers that cricket is a cornerstone of our offerings on both television and digital platforms. This agreement enables us to confidently affirm that.

With the rights we now hold for cricket in England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and the ACC, we are positioned to showcase major cricket events featuring the Indian team every year for the next eight years. That continuity is a critical accomplishment of this deal, and we are very pleased about it.

Our ambition is to be the network where the most iconic and thrilling moments in cricket are created. While India-Pakistan matches are a major highlight, we are equally excited about other rivalries—such as those with Bangladesh and the rising powerhouse of Afghanistan, which has become one of the most exciting teams in world cricket. These matches and players hold immense appeal for cricket fans everywhere, and we aim to bring those electrifying moments to life.

Are there plans to expand into other sports categories beyond cricket?

We have a strong presence in European football, having recently hosted the Euros. Additionally, our coverage of three Grand Slam tennis tournaments solidifies our position in other sports. While we're already well-established in these areas, we'll continue to explore and identify opportunities to further expand our sports portfolio in the future.

While the ACC deal highlights Sony's initiatives around sports, how is the network balancing its focus on entertainment? What key developments or initiatives are shaping Sony’s entertainment portfolio?

Over the last four-five months, we have grown this channel by roughly 60%—a little over 60%, in fact. I’m optimistic that we can continue to grow further. I also want to spotlight one key factor behind this success: staying true to the core identity of SET. The channel is recognised for its differentiated content and for hosting some of the most iconic non-fiction brands in the country.

A big contributor to this year’s traction has been KBC and the highly successful launch of Indian Idol. When Indian Idol debuted with a 1.5 TVR, it became the number one non-fiction show in Hindi that week. This season is also performing significantly better than the previous one.

The focus this time has been on showcasing high-quality singing talent without the unnecessary distractions and gimmicks that sometimes dilute the brand's clarity and essence. This approach has resonated strongly with viewers, and I personally feel very good about the direction we've taken.

The credit goes to the incredible efforts of our team and our partners who have done a fantastic job. My request would be to keep a close eye on Indian Idol and the broader developments in the entertainment segment of our portfolio.

We’re very excited about all the work that’s been accomplished, and we believe it lays a strong foundation for further growth.

There has been a lot of buzz around the return of CID. Tell us about the excitement of bringing it back.

It's something we are incredibly proud of, especially as it's making a comeback after a six-year hiatus. We are thrilled with the response to both the first and second promos—the buzz has been phenomenal. Watching our iconic creator, BP Singh, deliver the first shot gave everyone goosebumps.

This revival is truly special, with the original creators and cast all returning. It's a project we are deeply excited about, and we can’t wait to bring it to the audience.

While you have already implemented significant changes and improved ratings at Sony in just three months, what will be your key focus areas for the next year?

We have a long way to go and we are very excited about what lies ahead - we can be creative in every part of our business. Sony is a powerful brand, which should lead with innovation. We want to tell powerful stories about India today and that should be exciting place to contribute for all our partners - on the creative and the business side.