Small sports leagues, events get brand traction

On National Sports Day, experts note rising interest in non-cricket sports in India, with brands increasingly engaging in community leagues and events.

As India celebrates National Sports Day on August 29, a chat with experts in the business points to a quiet, albeit slow change taking place in the country’s sports eco-system. Players’, audience’s and brand interest in non-cricket sports is on the rise. Ujwal Deole, co-founder of Khelomore, an online platform for booking sports venues, coaching and events, says the app does almost 60,000 bookings a month for courts and turfs for various sports, and brands are increasingly finding smaller tournaments and non-cricket leagues appealing.

Small sports leagues, events get brand traction

“In the past one year, especially with the advent of pickleball and padel, a slew of sportswear and nutrition brands are eyeing community leagues for effective activations,” says Deole. Khelomore, that allows people to book courts and venues for box cricket, football, badminton, padel, pickleball and much else, is helping brands with on-ground branding at these sports events. It has partnered with Blue Tokai, Eatfit, Liquid IV, Cava and Strch among others, in the past.

Typically, brands flock weekend tournaments with an audience ranging from 50 to 250 people where they sponsor prizes, offer giveaways and sample products, says Deole. In return sponsors get what he calls “bite-sized activation’ with a relevant audience. Khelomore is currently in talks with a luxury holiday company and a large FMCG soap brand for activations at sports venues.

Guarded about his plans, Jain hints at professionalizing “pehelwani” (wrestling) at akharas next. “I want to focus on sports rooted in Indian culture. There is a big audience for that. Look at what Pro Panja League has done to popularize arm wrestling,” he says.

To be sure, the second season of the Pro Panja League, founded by actor-entrepreneur Pravinn Dabass, concluded in Gwalior a few days ago. “The league was bigger this year with an overwhelming response on social media,” Dabass says. Royal Enfield was the main sponsor besides Nikon India, Red FM and Care Hospitals. Sony Sports Network was the broadcasting partner.

The beauty of arm wrestling lies in its simplicity and low entry barrier, says Dabass. “Players don’t need expensive bats or shoes. A table is all that’s required. I am aware that this is not cricket but we are on the right and promising path,” he adds.

Meanwhile, both pickleball and padel are growing as community games in the country. Deole is bullish on these with pickleball courts now available in 75 cities. Sports marketing expert Indranil Das Blah, who was strategic advisor to World Pickleball League in January, says though majority of the nearly 30 different sports leagues launched in the last 5 years flopped, there is scope for smaller community formats to be commercially viable. “You need to think out of the box. Local leagues and games may work if the costs are low and they can attract local and regional brands,” he says.

Sambhav Jain agrees that most leagues are replicating the proven cricket Indian Premier League model and need fresh thinking. But he’s certain that the time for non-cricket sports is now.

A report on Emerging Sports by sports and entertainment specialist Havas Play earlier this year said in 2024 emerging sports generated ₹2,559 crore, that is, 14% of India’s sports industry revenue with an annual growth of 24%. Cricket saw a dip in its market share and growth rate. The emerging sports (kabaddi, football, combat sports, badminton etc) revenue could touch ₹8,500 crore in the next 7 to 8 years with a push to the ecosystem, it added.

Other than facing the ubiquitous infrastructure challenges, what non-cricket sports require is for their federations to professionalize, says Jain. “The need of the hour is to bring in corporate culture in local sports,” he says.