Ultimate Kho Kho has signed the sports, lifestyle, and entertainment company, RISE Worldwide, as its exclusive broadcast production partner and league consultant. The partnership has been signed with the goal of re-branding and presenting one of India’s oldest sports as a next-gen and visually engaging entity.
RISE Worldwide Limited is Reliance Industries’ investment in the sports and lifestyle industry in India and globally.
“As part of the 3-year agreement, RISE will work closely with Ultimate Kho-Kho to give the game a makeover and make it more viewer-friendly. It will help create standard operating procedures from the TV broadcast perspective in terms of presentation such as the look and feel of the game, duration of the game, grooming and training players and experts and sponsor integration. The motive is to create a brand that builds on all elements within the league and helps develop the sports year on year with exclusive and well-researched enhancements. This partnership will leverage the extensive experience RISE has with building and sustaining leagues, to establish the brand Ultimate Kho-Kho in the sports landscape of India,” read a statement.
Talking about the deal, Ultimate Kho Kho CEO Tenzing Niyogi said, “Our emphasis is to bring forth Kho-Kho’s new avatar and make it popular among the masses. We are delighted to welcome RISE Worldwide on board. The game changes within seconds in this sport. It prepares the players to respond swiftly and in a different way, making them as dynamic as the sport itself. And this partnership will put major emphasis on the versatility within the coverage and creativity in providing uniqueness to different segments in the broadcast. I am also confident that with the coming together of Ultimate Kho Kho and RISE Worldwide, Kho-Kho is ready to take over India and the globe.”
RISE Worldwide is India’s largest independent sports, lifestyle, and entertainment company, with 150 million young people connected through its various IPs on social media.
James Rego, Head of Broadcast, RISE Worldwide said, “We are excited to partner with Ultimate Kho Kho and take the game, which has been played in rural India for centuries, to the world stage. Viewers would get to see kho-kho in a stunning new avatar which will inspire youngsters and help grow the sport.”
“High on pace, high on strategy, the enhanced version of this game will make for an interesting, high-octane viewing experience through our world-class production expertise, leveraging our multi-sport brand experience, multilingual content to lend thrill and intrigue to a fast-paced sport, engaging the audience. We are committed to working closely with the team at Ultimate Kho Kho to make watching kho-kho a world-class experience,” he said.
Ultimate Kho Kho has already secured Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) as its official broadcast partner, and the league’s live-action will be available in English, Hindi, and multiple regional languages on SPNI’s sports channels as well as on its OTT platform, SonyLIV.
The league’s inaugural season is set to begin later this year. The commencement of this competition will script a new exciting chapter in Indian sports history by giving Kho-Kho a complete makeover.