Ad men: We only care about India

MUMBAI - Indian cricket fans are not the only cheerleaders for the country at this month's World Cup - advertisers, sponsors and broadcasters are counting on a home triumph to maximise their investment in the tournament.

The fate of India, one of the favorites for the tournament which gets underway this weekend, will determine the value of tens of millions of dollars that have been pumped in as advertising for the Feb 19-April 2 event.

"If India crash out of the World Cup, it will be devastating. Last minute ad rates will come down, ticket sales will be affected and the interest in the tournament will wane," analyst Rohit Maheshwari of consultancy K. R. Choksey said.