New Delhi: Mad Influence and Star Sports have launched the Star Sports Dream Job contest to discover talent via social media. After an eight-week contest, Soumi Dey Sarkar, a national-level athlete, won the esteemed Star Sports ‘Dream Job’.
Star Sports Dream Job drew 5,500 diverse entries, reflecting broad interest in IPL with participants from varied backgrounds globally, including differently abled creators and an Australian super fan resembling Sam Curran.
The Top 10 contestants went to Ahmedabad for the Playoffs, reported as Star Sports Reporters live on national broadcast. The Final 3 contestants, Pramita Mohapatra, Soumi Dey Sarkar, and Aayush Ambasht, traveled to Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad for the final challenge. They reported on stories around the IPL final buzz from different cities.
Several entries garnered high social media traction, with one reel receiving 61 million views, showcasing the broad engagement of the contest. The Star Sports Dream Job activation proved to be a successful and distinctive initiative, utilizing the digital landscape to unearth talent, amassing a total of 310 million views through #IPLonStar across all entries.
Sarkar, who has been plying her trade as an anchor in other sporting events, will now see herself pick up the mic for a coveted full-time anchoring position on Star Sports during the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup.
Speaking about winning the Star Sports ‘Dream Job’, Soumi Dey Sarkar said, “This is a dream come true for me. I am grateful to Star Sports for recognizing my efforts, and I can’t wait to work alongside the stars and legends of the game. Anchoring has always been my greatest passion, and now, by winning the Dream Job, I have the opportunity to turn that passion into my profession. I hope to make the most of this incredible opportunity.”
Gautam Madhavan, CEO & Founder of Mad Influence, expressed his enthusiasm, “Collaborating with Star Sports for the Star Sports Dream Job campaign has been an exhilarating journey. Star Sports is the true home of sports and is a benchmark when it comes to fan centric activations. We are glad to partner with Star Sports to roll this historic, one-of-a-kind, and unique initiative that provided a platform for aspiring talents to showcase their skills. Using social media,we now have a winner who will pursue her dream of sports anchoring with the biggest sports broadcaster in India. We are immensely proud of the talent we’ve unearthed and the opportunities we’ve created for these individuals.”
Speaking about the second edition of Star Sports Dream Job, renowned cricket anchor and presenter Jatin Sapru, who won the title the first time, said, “Welcome to the club, Soumi! Congratulations on this remarkable achievement. The Dream Job will offer you a unique anchoring experience, allowing you to learn intricate nuances and technicalities from a talented team in the studio. This is a life-changing opportunity where your hobby has transformed into your profession. I encourage others to keep pursuing what they love. Your Dream Job might be just around the corner.”