The ever-growing craze for sports in India, estimated at around 655 billion, is a huge market for sports brands to tap into, potentially opening up new business opportunities and garnering new customers.
India’s $52 billion sports sector is racing towards becoming one of the top five sports powerhouses in the world by the year 2047. Interestingly, its growth rate is 14% compound annual rate - which is double the annual growth rate of the sports market around the world. When you compare it with India’s GDP, then, it is also double the growth rate and expected to breach the $130 billion mark by 2030.
The new Gen-Z generation is going to play a massive role in the growth of the sports sector and boost the economy. The government is well aware of this, and they are fueling up their investments in this sector, especially with people looking for a much healthier, fit lifestyle. These are also influenced by the widespread quality of sports content across multiple platforms and easy access to the targeted users.
Most of the growth is driven by sports-based goods and consumables, and these two stand out for advertisers looking to impact their brand in the ever-growing market. With digital-savvy Gen Z audiences leading the way, engagement is expanding beyond just merchandise—platforms like fantasy leagues, esports, and even everyday go-to betting sites in India are becoming key parts of how users engage with sports. 71% of the targeted audience are Gen Z, and there is a probability of them doubling their spending on sports goods and consumables by 2030.
The fact that India's booming sports market offers multiple paths for all brands, regardless of their direct connection to sports, underscores the widespread influence and broad appeal of sports. This widespread passion creates a unique landscape where diverse businesses can leverage the emotional engagement and loyalty associated with sports to cultivate stronger relationships with potential and existing customers.
Because there's a big chance here, Google and Deloitte are working together to study how Indians love and watch sports. They want to give businesses clear information about these fans. By looking closely at "what Indians like about sports and how they watch them," they want to help companies plan better ways to connect with these fans using actual facts.
India’s Fandom for a Wider Range of Sports
India is a vast country, and its fanbase is as diverse as it gets. Fans come from all genders and age groups and from every corner of the country.
India boasts a massive and varied sports fan base of 655 million. These fans are diverse in gender, with 64% male (420M) and 36% female (236M). Age-wise, Gen Z makes up 43% (282M), Millennials 36% (236M), and Gen X 22% (144M). Geographically, 59% (388M) reside in rural areas and 41% (268M) in urban areas.
Cricket has a huge fan base in India, but not all people in India follow or watch cricket daily as Indian fans enjoy a wide array of sports. Beyond cricket, notably 90% of them follow two sports - Kabaddi and football, each with around 100 million fans. Traditional sports like hockey, kho-kho and badminton have huge fan bases. The digital realm is popular too, with fantasy sports and esports attracting 220 million users, and this market is projected to reach $2 billion by 2030.
This vast diversity presents the markets with new campaigns that are tailor-made to the specific interests of the users and based on the demographics of these fans. These campaigns can indeed lead to better connections and consumer retention for the companies.
Tap In, Tune In: The Digital Fan Experience
In a country where 700 million people own a smartphone and 90% of them with internet access consume sports content digitally, it could be via live streaming, watching highlights on Youtube or other streaming platforms like JioHotstar, Netflix, Sony Liv, Fancode, and social media platforms.
Apart from these, fans also engage with sports content across other digital platforms. They are growing in their use of digital platforms on Google Search, where the interest in sports search terms quadrupled between 2019 and 2023, and more than 50% of the users say they started following a new sport after coming across it on digital platforms.
According to current data, sports fans spend 20% more time on non-live content than on live sports events. This might contain highlights, analysis, or replays, giving fans more choices on how they want to consume their favourite sports.
Furthermore, 42% of fans maintain engagement with sports even after the season ends, which shows a deep and lasting interest even after the season ends. When focusing on younger demographics, it's notable that a substantial 93% of Gen Z fans utilize a second screen while they are watching live sports, indicating a multi-tasking approach to their viewing experience, perhaps checking scores or social media.
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