"Champion of Champions" Chennai Super Kings

[ajaybaskar]

Washington Apples are now the official fruit of the Chennai Super Kings!

What next? Official vegetable?

[ajaybaskar]

CSK designs innovative marketing campaign to attract fans in IPL 5

The two times IPL champion, Chennai Super Kings, is coming up with an innovative marketing campaign to attract more fans in IPL 5. After its popular video ‘Whistle Podu’, it has a new video lined up that will go on air on March 17.

Think Open is the creative agency for CSK and Mindshare is the media agency.

Commenting on the marketing strategy of CSK for IPL 5, Chandrabhan, General Manager – Marketing, India Cements said, “We are focusing on merchandising in this IPL season. It is not possible for all fans to come to the stadium to support the team but by wearing branded merchandise, they can show support from any part of the country. The merchandise would cost anywhere from Rs 200 to Rs 4,500.

Along with merchandising, CSK has also undertaken promotions and contests in print, online and radio. It managed to get entries from 55,000 fans and five out of them will win a prize.

Chandrabhan shared, “We will give an opportunity to fans to interact with the CSK players on twitter every alternate day. This will help increase the fan base. We also have Kings Club, which is our fans club on Facebook and Twitter.”

The fan base on Facebook has risen to 780000 in merely two months. CSK fans will also be able to see behind the scene videos of players that will be uploaded on the official website.

The team has spent 12-13 per cent more on marketing as compared to last year’s IPL.

When asked whether Indian team’s poor performance in the recent times will have a negative impact on IPL, Chadrabhan said, “I don’t think there will be a negative impact. IPL is all about entertainment and if the Indian team does well in Asia Cup, people will forget the past. The sponsors are pumped and I think this IPL would be better than last year.”

[ajaybaskar]

Mike Hussey will not be playing the first 7 matches of IPL 5, his national commitments being the reason. Mukund will open with Vijay.

Sudeep Tyagi is getting trained under Bichel in Brisbane. May be a surprise weapon this season.

[VinodKumar's]

No Hussey intha varushamum kadaisi 7 match thaana

[ajaybaskar]

IPL 5: Can anyone stop the CSK juggernaut?



Name: Chennai Super Kings

Captain: MS Dhoni

Coach: Stephen Fleming

Cost of team: $90 million

Key players: Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay – Chennai's top order – all featured in the top ten run-scorer's list last season, and that shows how reliant the team is on a strong start. Hussey's four half-centuries offered stability at the top, and his ability to hold the innings together without taking too many risks, while maintaining a strike-rate of 118.84, was massive. Raina is CSK's biggest match-winner with bat and ball, and remains their biggest hitter. Vijay wasn't as strong as in IPL3, but is a big-match player, as evident by his role in knock-out matches.

S Badrinath's name doesn't conjure up the image of a Twenty20 player, but the Tamil Nadu veteran was a star performer for CSK in IPL4, with 396 runs at 56.57 and a strike-rate of 126.51, including five half-centuries. Badrinath's ability to perform in all situations, most often after a top-order collapse, was instrumental in setting up match-winning totals and holding together chases. His best performance was an unbeaten 63 against Pune Warriors, and Badrinath was also one of the best fielders in Chennai's outfit.

Down the order and as a leader, MS Dhoni is a central figure for CSK. His reputation as a finisher does not need addressing, and with him at the crease CSK will fear no total. The new recruit, Ravindra Jadeja, fetched the highest bid in the IPL 2012 auction, being signed up by CSK for more than $2m after they beat Deccan Chargers in a secret tiebreaker. He is a good Twenty20 player, and the team will have plenty of hopes from him.

With the ball, R Ashwin and Doug Bollinger are lethal forces in Twenty20. Ashwin, now adept at bowling with the new ball, was a stand-out performer in IPL4 – most critically in the final when he took 3 for 16 – while Bollinger's hostility and precision made him one of the best fast bowlers in the competition.

Strengths: The man in charge, Dhoni, has ensured CSK have reached the final four each season. Under him, they team has won the last two IPLs as well as the Champions League Twenty20, and Dhoni's street-smart and innovative leadership has been a constant feature of CSK's dominance. Throw in his ability with the bat, and CSK have one of the most valuable Twenty20 players in the league. A strong top order aside, the presence of Badrinath, Jadeja, Albie Morkel and Dwayne Bravo in the line-up adds to their batting strength.

Weaknesses: Bollinger aside, the team lacks an all-out quick bowler. Morkel and Bravo had often leaked runs, and been targeted by the opposition. Cases in point from IPL 4 being the defeats to Kings XI Punjab, in which Morkel went for 12.66 an over, and Kochi Tuskers Kerala, where he went wicketless at 8.50. CSK also do not possess any capable Indian quick bowlers who can be relied on to back up Bollinger. In IPL 4, Bollinger's 1 for 20 in the play-off helped carry CSK into the final, but overall there is a lingering doubt over the ability of the other quicks to perform in such manner.

2011 performance: The decisions taken at the 2011 auction reaped the rewards last season. In retaining Dhoni, Raina, Vijay and Morkel ahead of the bidding, and then by buying Ashwin, Bollinger, Hussey, Badrinath and Shadab Jakati, CSK ensured they had the crop of match-winners who had helped win them the 2010 trophy. This sense of familiarity came in crucial when CSK hit roadblocks during their campaign, and it became their trump card in pressure situations.

CSK's unbeaten run at home owed to their home-grown strength, such as Vijay, Badrinath and Ashwin. This naturally attracted a boisterous and fiercely loyal Chennai audience to invigorate the team, with Dhoni going as far to say that when they played at Chepauk, CSK had 12 players on the field. When it most mattered, in the knock-outs, CSK were devastating.

2012 prospects: CSK have been the most consistent IPL team, with a reliance on home-grown talent keeping them in good stead. Having perfected their tactics over three seasons, they will begin their title defence as favourites once again. Their ability to bounce back from defeats and get it together ahead of the knock-outs was their hallmark in IPL4, and as long as they can repeat that they will remain contenders for a third straight title. Considering the final will once again be held at their home venue, the MA Chidambaram Stadium, do not rule them out of an appearance at the summit.

[scorpio]

AB- Kings club members ticket booking pathi any news? engE, eppadi vaangaNum, enna stand, enna rates etc etc?

[ajaybaskar]

I was about to ask you about that.

[scorpio]

My husband did some calling up......lousy service-nnu sonnaar.....innum 2 days-la adha paththi aRivippugaL veLiyaagum and tickets online illa, stadium-la thaan vaangaNum-nnu sonnangaLaam...2 days aayiduchu, no news, adhaan ungaLa kEttEn

[ajaybaskar]

Sale of Tickets at counter

1. The sale of ticket will start on March 24, 2011 at 9.15 am

2. Kings Club Member will buy tickets through an exclusive counter at Dhun Building, 827 Anna Salai, 4th Floor between 10 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Members will have to produce their membership card for purchase of tickets.

3. Each member will be entitled to buy two tickets in G, H & I stands only

4. Members will be offered a discount of 25% on the value of the tickets purchased.

5. Discounts will be available for a maximum of two tickets only

6. Tickets will be sold only for cash

7. Tickets sale is subject to availability of tickets.

[scorpio]

CSK will be without Huss and Bravo till the Aus-WI series is over? vEra yaar-llam irukka maattanga? Kula, Randiv gadhi enna?

Bolli and Albie thavira micha rendu foreign players yaar available? Du Plessis may get a match, who else?

Thanks AB Year 2012 thaanE?