Non-cricket sports emerging as drivers, as sponsorship grows

Sports sponsorship grew in India by 12.3 per cent in 2015 to Rs 5,185 crore. This number is 10.4 per cent of the total Indian advertisement expenditure in 2015, according to a 2016 report on sports sponsorship in India that was released by ESP Properties - the entertainment and sports arm of GroupM and SportzPower. The report discusses the success of non-cricket leagues, fan engagement and how brands can maximise value from association with sports. It also examines how while cricket continues to be the biggest chunk in the sports industry pie, non-cricket sports are emerging as growth drivers. SportzPower co-founder Thomas Abraham pointed out that sports like kabaddi and football had massively increased sponsorship revenues in 2015, which also witnessed return editions of tennis and hockey events. As the Indian market opens up to new sporting leagues and new forms of exhibition, there is great interest in sports such as football, tennis and running. Brands that have made investments in sporting events early on are seeing greater returns on their investment over the last two years.