NEW DELHI: On the second episode of Bombay Sport Exchange , a deep dive into India’s fast-evolving sporting economy took center stage as K Shriniwas Rao, Head of Content (Sports) at Times Internet, sat down with Vinit Karnik, Managing Director - Sports, Content, and Entertainment at GroupM (South Asia).
What followed was an insightful conversation on the growth of India's sports ecosystem -- one that has outpaced even gold and the Sensex over the past 18 years.
As Indian Premier League ( IPL ) continues to dominate headlines and capture hearts, Karnik broadened the lens, exploring how India’s sports economy has diversified beyond cricket.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
"Over the past 18 years, the value of gold in India has grown by approximately 6.2x, while the Sensex has increased around 4.7x," Karnik said on the episode. "In comparison, the sports industry has been growing at a healthy CAGR of about 13%. If we specifically look at the 2023–2024 period, the industry grew by around 7%."
"From a marketing standpoint, it (IPL) just needs to be packaged a bit differently. Because you can't look at an Orange and Purple cap in the same way we are looking at a title sponsor of an IPL or official partner of an IPL or the umpire sponsor,” Karnik noted, highlighting how brands, the league, and platforms are now betting big on a wider range of sports properties.
Karnik credited much of this acceleration to structured investments, professional management of franchises, and the increasing appetite of audiences for diverse, fast-paced formats.
"If you look at teams like Mumbai Indians, CSK (Chennai Super Kings), RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), look at KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders), I think they've really, really built a brand imagery, which is very, very mature and something which resonates with cricket fans," he added.
While the IPL remains the crown jewel of Indian sports, commanding viewerships in the hundreds of millions, the emergence of alternative sports - such as running and pickleball - is opening up fresh opportunities for brands and broadcasters alike.
Watch full episode: Vinit Karnik, Managing Director – Sports, Content & Entertainment, GroupM (South Asia), in conversation with K Shriniwas Rao on Bombay Sport Exchange – Episode 2
What followed was an insightful conversation on the growth of India's sports ecosystem -- one that has outpaced even gold and the Sensex over the past 18 years.
As Indian Premier League ( IPL ) continues to dominate headlines and capture hearts, Karnik broadened the lens, exploring how India’s sports economy has diversified beyond cricket.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
"Over the past 18 years, the value of gold in India has grown by approximately 6.2x, while the Sensex has increased around 4.7x," Karnik said on the episode. "In comparison, the sports industry has been growing at a healthy CAGR of about 13%. If we specifically look at the 2023–2024 period, the industry grew by around 7%."
"From a marketing standpoint, it (IPL) just needs to be packaged a bit differently. Because you can't look at an Orange and Purple cap in the same way we are looking at a title sponsor of an IPL or official partner of an IPL or the umpire sponsor,” Karnik noted, highlighting how brands, the league, and platforms are now betting big on a wider range of sports properties.
Karnik credited much of this acceleration to structured investments, professional management of franchises, and the increasing appetite of audiences for diverse, fast-paced formats.
"If you look at teams like Mumbai Indians, CSK (Chennai Super Kings), RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), look at KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders), I think they've really, really built a brand imagery, which is very, very mature and something which resonates with cricket fans," he added.
While the IPL remains the crown jewel of Indian sports, commanding viewerships in the hundreds of millions, the emergence of alternative sports - such as running and pickleball - is opening up fresh opportunities for brands and broadcasters alike.
Watch full episode: Vinit Karnik, Managing Director – Sports, Content & Entertainment, GroupM (South Asia), in conversation with K Shriniwas Rao on Bombay Sport Exchange – Episode 2
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