Kathmandu, October 1
Red Bull has been named the title sponsor for the live broadcast of the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Himalaya Sports Television.
Himalaya Sports announced Red Bull as the title sponsor at an event held on Wednesday.
Bajaj Pulsar, Prostyle, Nepal Life Insurance, Proton, Asian Paints, Soyum and Himstar have joined the NPL broadcast as sponsors.
Bajaj Pulsar is the association partner, while Prostyle, Nepal Life Insurance and Proton are the “Powered By” partners. Asian Paints, Soyum and Himstar have joined as co-sponsors.
Speaking at the broadcast sponsorship signing ceremony, Himalaya Television Network Chair Dharma Raj Bhusal said the partnership would provide brands with a platform to connect with consumers.
“We are not simply selling advertising slots through a sporting event. We have created meaningful partnerships that allow brands to reach consumers through a platform,” he said.
Bhusal described the NPL broadcast as both a challenging responsibility and an opportunity.
“Investment in the sports sector is not an investment made on an ad hoc basis. We have taken it as a strategic part of our long-term business plan,” he said.
Surendra Silwal, managing director of Sarash Beverages Pvt Ltd, which represents Red Bull Nepal, said the company was excited to join Himalaya Television as the title sponsor for the broadcast.
He said Red Bull had supported the NPL since its inception.
“Sports and energy are Red Bull’s core principles. A major share of our investment in sports goes into cricket,” he said. “Red Bull began this partnership with the NPL from its very beginning with a long-term commitment.”
Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) Secretary Paras Khadka said Nepali sports and cricket were gradually becoming more professional and sophisticated.
“The love and support that the corporate sector has shown towards Nepali cricket in recent times has been encouraging. We expect that this support will not remain limited to cricket but will extend to sports as a whole,” he said.
Himalaya Sports had secured the broadcast rights for the third edition of the NPL after paying a record amount of nearly Rs 172.4 million, including taxes.
The investment is among the most significant made so far in the broadcasting of Nepali sports.
Himalaya Television Executive Director Shyam Kandel said the company had made the investment after assessing market conditions.
Suraj Giri, CEO and director of Himalaya Sports, said the broadcaster aimed to do more than simply show the matches and would work to bring fans closer to the players.
“Our job is not just to show the game. It is to bring the game closer, tell good stories and connect players with fans. We want Nepalis living abroad to feel, even for a few moments, that they are closer to home,” he said.
