Among those partnering with NPL are one and a half dozen brands in the banking sector, telecommunications companies, energy drinks, two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and fintech companies.
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The Nepal Premier League (NPL) has brought some excitement and buzz to the advertising market amid a sluggish economy. The sports tournament, organized by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), has established itself as a national celebration and has attracted millions of viewers and the attention of the corporate world, according to observers.
Central member Chhumbi Lama, who is also the spokesperson of CAN, says that this year's NPL is more organized and better than the previous one. He said that the number of people seeking partnerships has increased because advertisers love the NPL brand and have shown interest. 'The number of people who love the NPL brand and the way in which various brands have become associated has increased compared to the past,' he said, 'This year, 17/18 brands have been associated with CAN.'
The partners with NPL include the banking sector, telecommunications companies, beverage brands, two-wheelers, four-wheelers and fintech companies. Lama says that NPL has attracted millions of viewers through television, OTT and online, and since thousands of viewers are present at the ground every day, it has become an effective program to provide 'visibility' for brands. This year, many brands have voluntarily joined CAN, and this has had a positive impact not only on CAN but also on the economy of the country as a whole, he claims.
This time, it is a pleasant aspect to broadcast the NPL through Nepali OTT platforms and Nepali broadcasters, and this has given small advertisers an opportunity to place advertisements, said Sudeep Thapa, president of the Advertising Association. He mentioned that this season has increased the confidence of advertisers and has made the overall economy dynamic.
‘The event and the economic activity of Rs 100 crore directly or indirectly is a very good thing in the current situation,’ he said, ‘Advertisers are showing interest in long-term benefits by connecting with the NPL rather than analyzing the immediate return on investment (ROI).’ Thapa understands that a culture has developed to view sports events as celebrations rather than competitions, and this has proven itself professionally.
Thapa said that the NPL has also proven that advertisers are attracted to good content. ‘As the NPL has been successful in attracting a large audience on the field and on television, there has also been a lot of advertising,’ he said, ‘There has been less advertising due to the lack of exciting content in the media.’ CAN officials say that the impact of the first edition of the NPL has increased the confidence of the private sector in it.
Siddhartha Bank is the main sponsor of the NPL. Brands such as Ncell, Omoda, Yango, Pulsar Motorcycle, KFC, Vivo, YY are associated with CAN. Apart from this, various franchise teams have also received brand sponsorship, for example, ride-sharing company Yango is associated with Lumbini Lions and Worldlink Kathmandu Gorkhas as the main sponsors.
According to information given earlier by CAN Secretary Paras Khadka, the number of corporate houses directly associated with the NPL is currently more than 60. CAN has earned more than Rs 270 million from the first edition and is targeting an income of around Rs 400 million this time. This target is estimated to be achieved through agreements with various sponsors, over Rs 50 million from OTT platforms and around Rs 10 million from domestic broadcasting rights. Overall, the NPL is expected to generate an economic turnover of over Rs 1 billion in the economy.
Ncell, a telecommunications service provider that is associated with the NPL as a ‘powered by’ partner, has described its association with the tournament as very positive and encouraging. Ncell has been making significant contributions to sports and talent development in Nepal since its inception and has continued this association as cricket inspires hope in the youth, the company said. Ncell has partnered with the slogan ‘United by Cricket, Connected by Ncell’ in this edition.
‘Cricket is not a new field for Ncell, the company organized its first domestic cricket tournament in 2014 with the technical support of CAN,’ the company said in an email interview with Kantipur, ‘Ncell has been allocating a large portion of its annual marketing and sponsorship investment to sports. Supporting such major sporting events has helped the company strengthen its brand visibility, connect with customers and contribute to the development of Nepal's sports ecosystem.'
The company says that the sponsorship of NPL has led to positive changes in various indicators. The company says that engagement on Ncell's social media accounts has increased significantly due to NPL-related content, interaction with fans and updates related to the game. 'This celebration of cricket has also led to an increase in the purchase of data packs,' the company says. 'Ncell had introduced special packs like NPL
Fan Pack and NPL Play Pack in collaboration with DishHome Go App. Meanwhile, there has also been a slight increase in the number of new SIMs purchased.'
NPL organizers CAN and its franchise teams have also spent money on branding and promotion. This time, all the teams' social media accounts have been 'verified' and a lot of promotion has been done from there. Meanwhile, the regulatory Nepal Advertisement Board had sent a letter to CAN this time too, like last year, regarding the promotion of some betting-related companies. The board had issued a notice on 1 Bhadra, warning CAN not to advertise surrogate betting platforms.
