Television makers and satellite TV service providers have started the battle for the Cricket World Cup sales bonanza through price cuts, bundled offers, zero-interest finance and big-ticket campaigns.
Panasonic has cut the prices of its flat television models, while LG, Samsung and Akai kept television out of overall price increases to offset rising input costs.
Sony on Tuesday also roped in Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador and kicked off a 100-crore multimedia campaign to promote its Bravia HD TV brand and said it targeted to sell 2.5 lakh television units during the mega event.
TV makers have also tied up with direct-to-home satellite TV providers such as Dish TV, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV and financiers for bundled discount offers and special finance schemes. DTH providers are also offering special sports packages to cash in on cricket fever, besides tying up with TV brands.
"World Cup Cricket season is as good as Diwali season," says Saurabh Dhoot, director at Videocon Industries , which is present in both television and DTH markets.
TV makers expect up to 50% jump in their monthly sales during the February-May period. While the World Cup takes place between February 19 and April 2, IPL-4 kicks off on April 8.
Japanese company Panasonic has reduced the prices of all its LCD television models by 3%, or 800-1,000. A 32-inch Panasonic LCD TV is now available at nearly 24,000.
"World Cup is the time when cricket fans are glued to their television sets almost throughout the day. We want to reach out to a large number of people this time," Panasonic India's marketing director Manish Sharma said. Television prices will be revised upwards only in April, he said. Panasonic, however, is contemplating a price increase in its other products due to increasing prices of raw materials such as copper and steel.
Something market leader LG India has already done. The South Korean consumer durable maker has increased prices of all products categories except televisions by 5%.
"Picture tube, a key cost component in a TV set, hasn't witnessed a sharp price rise. So, television prices have been kept stable," LG India's chief operating officer YV Verma said.
Of course, it has the World Cup demand in mind. LG expects 35% year-on-year growth in TV sales during the World Cup-IPL season.
Samsung and Akai, too, will hold on to TV prices for now. Samsung is also offering zero-interest finance schemes to boost TV sales this season.
LCD TV sales doubled in 2010 to nearly 3 million units from 1.5 million in 2009, thanks to sporting actions such as IPL-3, Football World Cup and Commonwealth Games. Television makers expect the market to touch 5-million mark this year.
Sony aims to corner a 40% share in the flat panel TV market during the World Cup by selling 2.5 lakh units during the mega event, Sony India MD Masaru Tamagawa said.
"Cricket is the biggest sport in India. Dhoni and Sony are a perfect match," he told reporters in Mumbai. An industry official said Sony has also cut its TV prices, but this could not be confirmed from company officials.
Sony has also joined hands with Airtel to offer free DTH connection on purchase of its Bravia HD sets till April 15. Dish TV has a similar tie-up with Samsung.
DTH service providers expect the Indian market to grow to 35 million by the end of the cricket season. With ESPN Star Sports telecasting the World Cup in Hi-Definition, players are betting big on HD box sales too. Videocon D2H has launched its high-definition Digital Video Recorder, which allows users to record live programme to watch it later.
