Neo Sports retains No 1 spot; Neo Sports Plus overtakes ESPN

Mumbai, Dec 5 (UNI) Powered by a continuing increase in the number of Indian TV homes that are now subscribing to Neo Sports and Neo Sports Plus, with over 51 per cent of TV homes nationally being able to view the two channels, and back to back international cricket series, Neo Sports, the cricket centric channel, retains its number 1 position amongst all sports channels in India.

Interestingly, the regional language broadcast strategy adopted by Neo Sports Plus (the all sport 2nd channel) has begun to pay off and Neo Sports Plus has now surged past ESPN, Star Sports and others to climb to the number 3 spot amongst all sports channels in India, a release issued here today stated.

Within two months of commencement of its full international season of international cricket and less than a year from its commercial launch, Neo channels have reached an extraordinary subscriber level of close to 100 per cent in states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa and close to 75 per cent in Mumbai, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Neo Sales Strategy Vice President-Marketing Sanjay Bhoer said, ''We are excited to see Neo Sports Plus power ahead than many others, a testimony to our regional language strategy and outstanding marketing&distribution efforts, but remain practical enough to remember that the lead in the sports viewing universe will change hands every now and then depending on the events.'' Neo Sports is now available in all major territories across Asia, and in particular has met with outstanding success in Middle East (ADD platform), Hong Kong (I Cable) and Singapore (Starhub) with significant surges in subscriber numbers, the release added.

UNI