RED FM tunes in to cricket in Jodhpur with new campaign

RED FM Jodhpur's recent air initiative #KhelnaBandKaro aims to reach out to authorities to allow citizens to use the Barkatullah Khan Stadium for practice.

“Indians' deep-rooted love for cricket is as incomprehensible as its feverish intensity. It’s simply something that unite Indians like nothing else in the world,” wrote Nisha Narayanan, chief operating officer and director, RED FM and Magic FM, sharing RED FM Jodhpur's recent air initiative over a LinkedIn post - #KhelnaBandKaro.

Explaining the concern raised through the ad film, she wrote, “At a time when new talent is coming up in Jodhpur city, the scope of living the cricket dream remains unfulfilled for a lot of aspiring cricketers. One of the major reasons being the non- functionality of Barkatullah Khan Stadium since last 17 years.”

RED FM Jodhpur's campaign aims to reach out to authorities in Jodhpur and Rajasthan to allow people to use the stadium for practice and also organise ODIs and Test cricket matches.

The almost two-minute long rap film highlights how studies and marks are considered more valuable than sports in the country. In the voice of cricket fans, lovers and aspiring cricketers, it highlights how the lack of facilities and consent has left many with crushed 'cricketers' dreams.

The film, that targets cricket enthusiasts and authorities in Rajasthan, has been conceptualised by the in-house creative team of RED FM Jodhpur.

Over an email, Narayanan tells us, “Cricket is not just a sport, but also an emotion in India. Be it a metro like Delhi or a small town like Jodhpur, cricket flows in the veins of people Our team in Jodhpur found out that many aspiring cricketers in the city had to let go of their dreams to play due to lack of proper and adequate facilities. On that note, RED FM Jodhpur raised a concern about Barkatullah Khan Stadium, which is in a non-functioning condition for the last 18 years.”

Located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, the Barkatullah Khan Stadium was established in 1986/87 but has been used only sporadically. With a capacity of around 40,000 people, the stadium has till date seen only two international matches – India Vs Zimbabwe (2000) and India Vs West Indies (2002), both bilateral series tournaments.

Apart from radio, the campaign will also be promoted through on-ground and multiple activities, including OOH and digital.