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Creating Legends: How Eventistry Amplified the Legends Cricket Trophy’s Impact On and Off the Field

Date

2024

Client

LCT

Category

Events / Marketing

CHALLENGE:

The Legends Cricket Trophy 2024 was a landmark event, held for the first time in Sri Lanka at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Kandy from March 8th onwards. This tournament was more than just a series of matches; it was a celebration of cricketing excellence and entertainment, featuring legendary players like Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Aaron Finch. Eventistry was tasked with creating a “loud noise” around the tournament through a comprehensive digital marketing campaign that would bring the event to life, highlight the new 90-ball format, and position the tournament as a must-watch spectacle. Additionally, we were challenged to execute a high-profile opening ceremony just two days before the event, coordinating with both international and local talents to deliver a memorable kickoff. With only a limited timeframe and last-minute requests for AV equipment and logistics, we had to act swiftly to ensure everything was in place for a seamless event.

SOLUTION:

Eventistry approached these challenges with a dynamic and adaptive strategy that blended creativity with meticulous planning. While the Legends Management Team handled the booking of high-profile celebrities like Sanjay Dutt, Badshah, and Jacqueline Fernandez, Eventistry took charge of executing the opening ceremony, coordinating all elements to ensure a smooth flow of events. Our team managed the sound, lighting, and staging logistics and integrated the performances of Sri Lankan drummers, dancers, and fusion acts to create a truly memorable experience. Thanks to our extensive network of suppliers, we were able to swiftly source AV equipment from Colombo to Kandy, overcoming the logistical hurdles posed by last-minute changes.

For the digital marketing campaign, we focused on engaging content that showcased the excitement and spirit of the tournament. We deployed a mix of creative artworks, stat-based posts, and interactive videos that put the legendary players at the center of the story. Our campaign included fun player challenges such as the “Rapid Fire – Wrong Answer Challenge,” “Legends Blindfold Challenge,” “Never Have I Ever,” and the “Find the Duck Challenge,” which generated laughter and engagement among both players and fans. We also captured street reactions in Kandy, conducted player engagement videos, and posted real-time interactive content to build buzz and encourage fan participation, effectively bringing the unique 90-ball format and the essence of the Legends Cricket Trophy to a global audience.

RESULTS:

The digital marketing campaign and the opening ceremony were executed to great acclaim, achieving exceptional engagement and visibility. Across both Facebook and Instagram, the campaign generated a total of 457 posts, delivering remarkable results:

  • On Facebook, our efforts resulted in 2.9 million impressions1.86 million reach, and 268,629 engagements.
  • On Instagram, we achieved 2.66 million impressions1.72 million reach, and 217,438 engagements.

These metrics reflect the campaign’s success in amplifying the Legends Cricket Trophy’s presence and connecting with cricket fans worldwide. The opening ceremony was also a standout success, smoothly executed despite the tight timeline, and was praised by both the Legends Management Team and the audience for its flawless coordination and impactful performances. Our ability to handle last-minute changes and deliver an unforgettable experience was highlighted in the feedback we received, enhancing the overall perception of the event.

Eventistry’s strategic approach and flawless execution proved our expertise in managing both high-profile live events and effective digital marketing campaigns. If you’re looking for a team that can deliver outstanding results under pressure, please contact us at info@eventistry.agency.

DAVID SAMMEL
He has coached three Olympians, Barry Cowan (Sydney 2000) with Liam Broady and Marcus Daniell involved in Tokyo 2021 where Marcus made history with Mike Venus, winning bronze, New Zealand’s first ever tennis medal. Apart from success in tennis on the ATP/WTA tours, he coaches mindset to private clients including international cricketers, a pro golfer who recently won her first European Tour title, several college athletes and is a consultant who has worked with the likes of Chelsea and Fulham Football Clubs. He has a best selling book Locker Room Power and a successful online program called Mindset College. A graduate of the Berkeley Executive Coaches Institute (BECI) as well as earning a European Mentoring (EMCC) diploma. He illustrates that whilst his coaching is based firmly in applied psychology, sound theory sits behind his knowledge.
ANKUSH ROY
The romanticism in Ankush is primarily sparked by anything to do with sports. Far from being a dreamy kind of impulse, it is a burning desire to get sports events underway with maximum efficiency, providing athletes a setting to perform without limitations and for fans, an event worth their while. For over 15 years, Ankush has been at the forefront of India’s sporting setup, engaging with world-class franchises such as the Indian Premier League, Indian Super League, Star Sports Premier Badminton League and Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League as a proven specialist in Tournament Direction and Event Operations Management. More recently, he was also involved in the Lanka Premier League as Head of Operations and Marketing. Ankush joins the ranks at Eventistry Sports in bringing his ‘A-Game’ to Sri Lankan sports arenas. Based on his extensive track record, the local industry is undoubtedly going to benefit from a much needed international-level approach to sports marketing. Ankush himself is excited at the prospect of working with the massive potential Sri Lanka has in becoming a sports tourism destination. Through his collaboration with Eventistry Sports, Ankush believes a new paradigm for sports and branded events is inevitable and that ground zero when it all happens, will be right here in paradise isle.
ISHARA GOONERATNE
Ishara is in his element when the need of the hour is content for channels or channels to drive content. This ability of being able to manage superhuman volumes of communication streams makes him a critical asset in Eventistry Sports’ evolved angle for modern sports marketing, where the effective use of tech will determine the achievement of set objectives. Not much for engaging in physical sports, Ishara is an extreme e-sports fan showing deadly competence on Call of Duty. He does however, love cricket and derives a sense of pride from the Sri Lankan team’s exploits on the field, focusing on it as an effective touchpoint for driving audience engagement on social media. Since joining Eventistry Sports, Ishara has steadily gained an understanding on the dynamics of sporting events and their marketing aspect. To date, he has many projects under his belt, for which he has exclusively managed the marketing and digital media execution, as well as more specific deliverables such as setting up of media services, live-streaming events and real-time content generation. As is to be expected, Ishara’s vision for sports marketing involves the integration of tech and using its capabilities of connectivity and engaging content delivery to create unforgettable experiences for fans both on and off-ground, while simultaneously enhancing the reach brands have with their audiences.
KARIN WIJERATNE
Rebellious in attitude and proven exceptionally capable through a string of global brand communication experiences, Karin brings her innate understanding of the interplay between sports and sporting fans to create campaigns of heightened appeal. Her grounding in sports comes from early childhood itself, when she took on the demanding yet exhilarating training regimes of ballet, before subsequently also engaging in competitive swimming and tennis at a later age. As a fan, a variety of sports capture her passionate interest; from F1 (favourite team being Red Bull), ice skating and gymnastics (for their display of strength and artistry) and Baseball (Dodgers FTW!). Lately though, through her time in Eventistry Sports, Karin has also become a devout follower of Rugby and Cricket. Being so athletically inclined, Karin knows exactly what kind of setting makes for a great sporting event, one that delivers on fan expectations while inspiring athletes and teams to perform at their best. A visceral and innovative thinker, she sees opportunities for their holistic value and gets about constructing platforms that allow sporting talents to shine. As a result, every event becomes a value-driven engagement where brands and fans have much to gain from. Karin believes from her core that the world of sports has much untapped potential and that Eventistry Sports would be there at the forefront to take on the challenge of expanding the boundaries sports, enabling both athletes and brands to grow within its sphere.
IFHAM ARIFF
A firebrand by nature, Ifham has always been ahead of the curve with his outlook for sports in Sri Lanka, so much so that in founding Eventistry Sports, he was also establishing the country’s first and only dedicated sports marketing agency. The realm of sports and what it represents has been captivating, driving and inspiring Ifham throughout his life, across many milestones. As a school-going athlete, he was constantly engaged in playing multiple sports with basketball, rugby and cricket taking centre-focus. And, when he wasn’t playing, he would be following cricket, football and of course, F1 racing with frenzied interest, passionate fandoms that if at all, have intensified with time. As far as professional experience goes, Ifham has built himself a solid repertoire starting with his extensive accomplishments at Red Bull (including setting up Red Bull’s global cricket asset – Red Bull Campus Cricket), to promoting sporting events in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism and now, providing leadership to every single project Eventistry Sports takes on. With the continued success of his companies Eventistry and The Quest Ltd., Ifham displays a good head for business, always ensuring that the numbers are met in delivering optimal outcomes for collaborating brands and sporting teams. Competitiveness, survival and strategic victories, closely held values all drawn from sporting discipline, make Ifham a true catalyst for the evolution of the sports medium in Sri Lanka. Ifham’s vision for sports marketing is ambitious. He believes it to be the driver for raising the country’s sports industry to a professional level that is on par with global standards, where athletes can have sustained careers both on and off-field. Achieving this however, require brands and corporates to also believe in the potential of sports as a compelling platform for driving awareness and connecting on an emotional scale with audiences. With attended events making a comeback and sporting interests diversifying, the scope is finally opening up to take sports marketing several notches higher. In short, Ifham’s mission has now kicked into high gear.