India’s sports economy crossed the $2 billion mark for the first time, growing 13.4% year-on-year to $2.13 billion (Rs 18,864 crore). The industry has doubled in size in four years, with a CAGR of around 19%. Cricket accounts for 89% of the total recorded receipts, rising to 85% in 2024. The share of emerging sports has shrunk to 11%. Cricket alone (Rs 16,704 crore) is now bigger than the total Indian sports industry (Rs 16,633 crore) in 2024.
The assessment, according to WPP Media’s ‘Sporting Nation: Building a Legacy’ report, takes into account three primary sources of revenue: sponsorship (comprising ground, team, and franchise fees), player endorsements, and advertising spending.“Sport today sits at the intersection of culture and commerce, and brands are increasingly becoming part of the narrative rather than just sponsors. The evolution of leagues like the Indian Premier League has shown how deeply integrated partnerships can drive both fan engagement and commercial impact,” said Vineet Karnik, Managing Director – Content, Sports & Entertainment, South Media, WPP.“We’re seeing a shift from visibility-led associations to more immersive, story-driven collaborations. This is fundamentally changing how brands unlock value in the sports ecosystem,” he continued.The Indian sports economy as a whole is dominated by media spending — about 50% of the total industry — at Rs 9,571 crore with cricket spending alone at Rs 9,026 crore. Sponsorship is second with Rs 7,943 crore. IPL Teams exceeding Rs.1,000 in team sponsorship. Finally, celebrity endorsements account for Rs 1,350 crore, which is 7% of the entire economy.The biggest benefit of the report is the growth of cricket and lagging behind other sports. In absolute terms, cricket has grown 17.9% year-on-year and accounts for 81% of sponsorship spend, 87% of endorsements and 95% of media spend.The IPL, India’s Champions Trophy title, India’s ODI Women’s World Cup win and the Women’s Premier League (WPL) all kept the cricket juggernaut growing despite the impact of the Real Money Gaming (RMG) ban.ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta labeled India as an “anchor market” while acknowledging that cricket has become “inexorably” globalized.“India is indeed the anchor market for global cricket. Its huge fan base, financial power, and time-honored experience for the game provide a platform that benefits the entire ecosystem. What is unequivocally evident at ICC events is that the ship is sailing far beyond any one point,” he wrote in a column.Gupta said that with India’s victory at home in the Women’s ODI World Cup, the sport can expect to grow exponentially going forward as it has fully opened up an influential market.“…India’s victory in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, achieved in the 50-over format and on home soil, carries with it immense significance. When a market of India’s scale and influence embraces women’s cricket with such enthusiasm, the impact is felt far and wide,” he observed.No ISL harms other sports
Bengaluru FC player Sunil Chhetri in file photo. (ANI)
A major part of the 12.2% decline in ’emerging sports’ came from the postponement of India’s top football competition – Indian Super League (ISL) – Postponed till February this year. Other Competitions and Franchise Competitions, eg Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), stayed on course.Considering 2024 witnessed the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, which increased fan interest and brand presence across sectors, 2025 was not the case, the report said.Cricket continues to lead the celebrity endorsement table, but emerging sports players are slowly getting commercialIn terms of credibility digital data and social media interactions, cricketers and cricket dwarf non-cricket aspects.If Virat Kohli (10,742,000) and Rohit Sharma (10,341,000) top the charts of cricketers on social media, the closest on the non-cricket side are Neeraj Chopra (445,000) and Sunil Chhetri (149,000).
