IPL 2015 to be aired in Bengali on Sony Aath

This is the first time that the tournament will be aired in Bengali.

Sony Aath, the Bangla Entertainment channel from Multi Screen Media, will, for the first time, offer Bengali language feed for the Indian Premiere League (IPL).

Sony Aath will cover the opening ceremony and all 60 matches of the eighth edition of Pepsi IPL.

Tushar Shah, SVP, who also manages the operations of Sony Aath, says, "With an aim to provide the most premium content to our viewers in West Bengal, we are back yet again to enthrall them by offering a whole new experience of consuming the largest cricketing extravaganza in their favourite language. We believe, this initiative will not only help further expand the popularity of the nation's most beloved cricketing tournament, but also augment a larger fan base for the channel."

NP Singh, CEO, MSM, adds, ''West Bengal has always been one of the key markets for Pepsi IPL. We believe that offering the world's largest cricketing spectacle in one of the most popular and widely spoken languages in the country will help enthrall viewers. It will create a holistic viewing experience, unlike anything else seen before on the channel. Given the tournament's aggressive growth and ability to connect with millions on a national scale, this year we are positioning the event as 'India ka Tyohaar', which establishes the event as an annual sporting and entertainment festival."

As a prelude to the event, the channel will run a marketing campaign till the tournament kick-starts on April 8, 2015.

As the name suggests, the campaign aims to connect hearts and lives, creating a national euphoria and strengthening emotional affinity towards the sport. The 'India Ka Tyohaar' campaign invites people to dissolve differences and join in the revelry, which is aptly communicated through a heart-shaped mnemonic that exudes the 'spirit of togetherness'.

The tournament will feature a total of 60 matches, including the live telecast of the opening ceremony on April 7, the home and away matches between the franchises, the qualifying playoffs and the finals. The knock-out stage will begin from May 19 to May 22, and conclude with the final match on May 24, 2015.