MPL - The New Bigg Boss 14 Title Sponsor After VIVO's Exit

VIVO, the title sponsor of the IPL has been pulled out of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to the increasing anti-China sentiment in India. In a major development, the phone maker has exited out of Bigg Boss 14 as well. Last year, VIVO had signed a two-year deal worth Rs 60 crore with the makers of Bigg Boss 14 show. Now, Mobile Premier League (MPL) is the new title sponsor for the 14th season of Color's Bigg Boss. The show is going to air from October 3rd.

Mahesh Shetty, Network Sales Head, Viacom18, "We see a huge response from the advertisers for 'Bigg Boss'. Last year, we had an extended blockbuster season and from a timing standpoint, it could not have come at a better time."

He further added that, “The price is similar to last year and we are not taking a sharp hike. But what we are witnessing is a bounce back in TV advertising. Ad volumes had started going up in June and all discounts on pricing have been pulled back."

Abhishek Madhavan, VP, Growth and Marketing, MPL said that, “With MPL expanding into areas like entertainment via its live-streaming and a bunch of video-first features, ‘Bigg Boss’ was the most obvious choice for us to associate with. We eagerly look forward to this season and hope to cement MPL’s position as a household name through the partnership.”

According to the reports, last year 'Bigg Boss' produced Rs 180-200 crore in advertising revenue from 9 sponsors and about 100 advertisers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the online gaming also gained more popularity in India. Online gaming space increased 21 per cent during the lockdown times. MPL is also betting high on the IPL and throughout the league, it will be heavily investing towards marketing.