Indian sports sponsorship market grew to Rs 5,190 crore in 2015

The KPMG-CII report titled 'The Business of Sports' says Indian sports viewership (TV) numbers have grown by 30 per cent between 2014 and 2015

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | September 22, 2016

The sports sponsorship market in India grew by 12 per cent y-o-y to Rs 5,190 crore in 2015, as per the KPMG-CII report titled 'The Business of Sports'. While cricket maintained its stronghold in gaining sponsorship monies, league-based vents for other sports, football and kabaddi also attracted viewers and a lot of sponsorships.

The report was launched by KPMG in India in association with CII during the Summit on Business of Sports and Entertainment. The report mentions how sports evolved as a noticeable sector for all economies, presenting myriad career as well as business opportunities.

Indian sports viewership (TV) numbers have grown by 30 per cent over the two-year period between 2014 and 2015, while the response to the online sports watching has also increased tremendously. Globally, and even in India, the female viewership has seen a steady and significant increase. As for the Indian sports leagues, IPL 2016 had 41 per cent female viewers, while Hockey India League 2014 had 35 per cent female viewers, ISL had 57 per cent female and children and Pro Kabaddi League 2015 sported 39 per cent females and 50 per cent females and children put together. Rural India is also watching sports in a big way so much so that as per BARC numbers, there was 45 per cent viewership coming from rural India.

The global sports market comprising infrastructure, events, training and manufacturing and retail of sports goods is estimated at Rs 37.8-44.2 lakh crore ($600-700 billion), accounting for approximately one per cent of the global GDP.

One interesting finding of the report is how social media is acting as a game changer in the sports sector, just like other industries. A large number of sportspersons also use the medium to connect with their fans and endorse their brand affiliations.

Shrinivas Dempo, Chairman CII Summit on Business of Sports and Entertainment and Chairman and Managing Director, Dempo Shipbuilding and Engineering, said, “The last five to seven years have been the most dynamic for the sports industry in India with some fundamental changes. Sports not only provides an active branding and marketing opportunity to investors, but has also created value for fans all across. The addition of various sporting leagues in India has invited tremendous support and presence of the corporate sector.”

While presenting an overview of the global and Indian sports market, the report explores and assesses the sports eco-system in India, identifies the various stakeholders concerned and addresses their specific issues and challenges while attempting to highlight the common grounds between all stakeholders to enhance the development of sports in India.

Jaideep Ghosh, Partner and Head, Transport, Leisure and Sports, KPMG in India, “The country's sports sector is going through a significant transition. In February, 2016, the government accorded industry status to sports infrastructure, which is expected to attract investments from the private sector, thereby not limiting its role to just corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and non-profit organisations.”

The report identifies key issues facing the sports eco-system in India across segments of governance, sports events, and infrastructure development among others, while offering recommendations to tackle these problems. It presents a comprehensive view of the governance structure of sports in India, outlining the roles and responsibilities of major governing entities.

“India has a long way to go before it emerges as a serious player in the world of sports. The country is facing a moment of truth after its performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics. To initiate a strong foundation for the development of sports in India, the country needs to focus on three major aspects — improving governance and infrastructure, building a sporting culture and deploying a focused approach to winning medals,” added Jaideep Ghosh.

Click here for the full report.

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