Nandini set to sponsor 2024-25 Indian Super League football tournament
Bengaluru: Nandini, the popular dairy brand owned by Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), is gearing up to sponsor the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL) for 2024-25. This move by the state’s renowned dairy cooperative is aimed to promote its brand during the six-month-long sports event.
The 11th season of the ISL, scheduled to run from September 2024 to March 2025, will feature 163 football matches, with thirteen teams competing. According to a report by Money Control, KMF has recently floated a tender for firms to manage and promote the Nandini brand throughout the tournament.
KMF Managing Director M.K. Jagadish revealed that the cooperative is aiming for central sponsorship of the ISL, incorporating brand promotions on LED boards, presentation backdrops, dugout areas, and kiosks at all match venues. Additionally, Nandini will gain 300 seconds of exposure on television and OTT platforms, along with social media management throughout the ISL season, Jagadish added.
In a bid to expand its market reach, Nandini has also launched its whey-based energy drink, ‘Nandini Splash,’ in the U.S., making it available during the World Cup. KMF's MD highlighted that this move is part of a broader strategy to establish Nandini as a global brand.
Expanding further, a senior KMF official mentioned that Nandini is set to introduce its dairy products, including milk, curd, butter, and ghee, in the Delhi market. As part of a trial, these products were transported to Delhi by road, a journey of 56 hours, with the quality remaining unaffected.
Nandini has already made headlines by sponsoring the Scotland and Ireland cricket teams during the T20 World Cup, marking a milestone as the first Indian dairy brand to sponsor international cricket teams. This achievement gained widespread attention during the Karnataka Assembly elections in 2023.
The brand's prominence in Karnataka became a talking point ahead of the state elections when Amul announced plans to sell curd in Bengaluru. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai clarified that Amul would not replace Nandini in Karnataka, assuring that both brands would coexist in the state's market.
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RCB calmer than last year, players clear about their roles: Krunal Pandya
Bengaluru (PTI): The atmosphere in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru camp is much calmer than last year and players have a lot more understanding of their roles this season, says Krunal Pandya.
RCB won the Indian Premier League trophy for the first time in 18 years in 2025 and Pandya was the Man-of-the-Match in the final against Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad, returning 4-0-17-2 as RCB won the contest by six runs.
"I feel that this year there is a much calmer atmosphere. Last year it was a new team, and everyone got to know each other. This year many players understand their roles and each other's strengths and weaknesses," Pandya said in a release by the franchise.
"When I get into the big occasions, I feel that if God has got you here, then there is a reason behind it and sometimes I think that these big occasions are actually made for me. I feel the pressure, but I think about how I can be calm and in the present moment and do what is required," he said.
Pandya said RCB icon Virat Kohli would easily rank among the greatest players in any era of cricket.
"Virat is a classic example. You can see that hunger; you can see that passion in how he sees the game and how much he wants that victory. If Virat Kohli had been born in any (some other) generation, he would still be one of the greats. He is not competing with anyone else," he said.
