Knight Riders are perhaps the only global brand in cricket, claims Venky Mysore
KKR at auction table - 2020
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Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore has claimed that they have made the conscious decision of making KKR a first-of-its-kind global brand in Cricket. According to a brand analysis, in the IPL, KKR is the second most valued franchise with $ 66.5 million after Chennai Super Kings’ $ 75 million.
With Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, and Cape Town Knight Riders in the defunct Global T20 League, which never took off, Red Chillies have made some strong investments around the world of cricket, with a possible investment in The Hundred looming large. So much so that their brand strategy has taken off quite successfully, with Mysore claiming that they have turned the Knight Riders to the only global brand in cricket currently.
‘‘We have pursued a conscious strategy of making The Knight Riders brand a global one. With our presence through KKR in IPL, through TKR in CPL and even when we established Cape Town Knight Riders in the SA League, the endeavour has been to globalise the Knight Rider brand, build a global fan base and partner with global brands. Through such initiatives, we have now not only become the top brand in IPL but perhaps the only global brand in cricket,” Mysore told Gulf News.
The successful backroom planning and the clarity of thoughts among the TKR cricketers were so visible that they emerged victorious in the CPL unbeaten, winning 12 games on a trot. So much so that KKR also roped in USA cricketer Ali Khan, one of the fulcrums in TKRs’ campaign, as a replacement for Harry Gurney. Mysore was ecstatic after TKR success and hopes that the same gets rubbed on the KKR boys.
‘I have often dreamt of winning the tournament unbeaten and still pinching myself to believe this has really happened. It’s been a fantastic performance from the TKR boys and I hope it brings a rub-off effect on the IPL,’’ said Mysore.
