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CMCG launches SportzPR

The new venture, the company claims, is India’s first specialised communications consultancy focusing on the ‘Business of Sports’

agencyfaqs! News Bureau

NEW DELHI

Communication consultancy firm CMCG has launched a new outfit, SportzPR. The new venture, the company claims, is India's first specialised communications consultancy focusing exclusively on the ‘Business of Sports'.

The idea behind SportzPR is to help clients get more value from their investment in sports, celebrities and events. Sports, which is one of the biggest industries worldwide, attracts billions of dollars as investment. And, corporate spending on sports has witnessed tremendous growth across the globe including India. "Currently the investments in sports is between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 crore and the rate of growth every year is a substantial 50 per cent," says Samir Kale, managing director, CMCG, who would also head SportzPR.

SportzPR hopes to cash in on this trend. However, India still has miles to go in terms of building a sports culture. Thus, Kale feels there is, "…a big opportunity for SportzPR to help unleash the full potential of sports through enhanced public understanding and perception."

SportzPR will start operations with a team of experienced sports professionals including K Jagannatha Rao, former sports journalist, and Sanjay Karhade, author of biographies of Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. As far as the infrastructure is concerned, to begin with, SportzPR will leverage the existing CMCG offices, which are spread across four cities - New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The fifth is coming up in Bangalore.

SportzPR will offer a wide range of services to corporates, athletes and sports organisations including "the development of sports strategies and execution of the strategies to maximise returns". Its services would also entail counselling on sports marketing promotions, media relations, media training, event strategy, management and coordination.

Talking about the plans of SportzPR, Kale says, "Sports occupy maximum space in the daily newspapers, yet it remains the most under-utilised communications opportunity. SportzPR will help companies identify a dynamic range of high profile, yet highly cost effective sports association and branding opportunities to help build and maintain strong corporate and product awareness."

SportzPR will also help companies develop and execute an internal sports strategy with a focus on building ‘healthy, active individuals'. Currently, SportzPR is in talks with a few companies, though Kale feels it is too early to talk about them. © 2002 agencyfaqs!

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