SRK helps KKR survive

The actor and IPL team owner is more a business man than a sports enthusiast?

Actor Shah Rukh Khan is often applauded for business acumen. And though his team hasn't been the strongest of the lot in the previous IPL seasons, Kolkata Knight Riders is one team that, people say, has been able to rake in the moolah. And it's all thanks to King Khan!

SRK has gone on record to say, IPL isn't about money. It's more about the sport. However, Shah Rukh is such a big brand himself that advertisers flock in to have him and his team display their logos. We are told, "Also, any team owner is so involved with their team that they'll go out of their way to do things for sponsors backing them. It works out more economically if you support a cause actors are so close to."

Now we hear, that a credit card company recently shot an ad with SRK, and will soon be roping his KKR team to be part of the TV commercial and ad campaign. "Shah Rukh Khan is a brand himself. He exploits himself for the good of his team. He does what he has to do and leaves the players to do what they are good at. Advertisers flock to KKR not because they are KKR, but because SRK is at the helm of their affairs. Without him, and without many memorable performances in the past, it would've been an even more difficult journey for this particular IPL team," says a brand analyst.

He adds, "Yes, cricket is religion in India, and when you mix it with the flamboyance of Shah Rukh Khan it just gets more intriguing."