Brands tap emerging sports in India 

Even as the reach of the IPL expands, brand investment in sports other than cricket continues to grow, and at a faster rate.

What’s happening?

IPL media rights owners have sought to maximise the reach for their investments – JioCinema streaming games for free and Star Sports broadcasting them on FTA and GEC channels. And digital channels have brought in more ad revenue than TV for the 2023 tournament, insiders tell Afaqs!, at Rs 2,300- 2,500 crore compared to 1,800-2,000 crore.

But while the IPL juggernaut rolls on, other sports are also booming. Data from GroupM ESP’s Sporting Nation report shows India’s sports business – sponsorship, endorsement, media spend – hit Rs 14,209 crore in 2022, 49% up on a year earlier. And while spending on cricket grew 44% (to Rs 12,115 crore), spending on emerging sports, such as kabaddi and football, was up 87%, albeit from a much smaller base (to Rs 2,094 crore). 

Why it matters

Industry observers note a post-COVID surge of investment funding for startups and brands looking to expand. “These brands have identified sports and live events as one of the fastest mediums to gain quick momentum and establish connections with their customers,” the President, Investments at Havas Media India, explains to e4m. 

Takeaways 

• Success on the international stage helps boost the popularity of individual sports and success becomes more likely as the government increases spending on sports development.
• A plethora of new sporting leagues is attracting new audiences and new advertising categories.
• Brands are increasingly willing to consider advertising around non-cricket sports. 

Key quote

“Emerging sports are becoming part of brands’ marketing calendar and making advertisers work on a tactical approach to cash on these sporting opportunities” – R Venkatasubramanian, President, Investments at Havas Media India.

Sourced from Afaqs!, e4m