New Delhi, Nov 21, 2022: The FIFA World Cup kicked off on the 20th of November with the first match being played between Qatar and Ecuador.
However, football fans in India were left fuming due to the technical issues faced by the Jio Cinema app, part of the Viacom18 network and the tournament’s official broadcaster.
As buffering and technical mishaps resulted in a horde of angry fans, the network promptly released an apology and asked its viewers to download the updated version of the app. However, it failed to improve matters.
“We are continuously working to give you a great experience. Please upgrade your app to the latest version to enjoy #FIFAWorldCupQatar2022. Apologies for any inconvenience,” Jio Cinema tweeted.
“These issues are solvable. We will see how the live-streaming goes over the next few days. We remain optimistic that the issue will get resolved,” stated Jayen Mehta, CEO, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, the maker of Amul. Amul is serving as the sponsor of the World Cup on Viacom18’s television and digital platforms.
Other sponsors include Mahindra, Visa, AM/NS India, Intel and State Bank of India (SBI), among 10 sponsors brands.
The advertising money riding on the FIFA World Cup this year is estimated at around Rs 300 crore, as per media industry executives.
In 2018, Sony Pictures Networks had raked in around Rs 200 crore as advertising money for the Fifa World Cup and had brought in 15 brands on board as sponsors.
Day two of the FIFA World Cup will witness England and Netherlands taking on Iran and Senegal respectively.
