Sachin Tendulkar pads up as brand ambassador for Paytm First Games

The company has also set aside Rs 300 crore for investing in growing the market for fantasy sports and other online gaming events during this financial year

Digital payments company Paytm said that its gaming subsidiary Paytm First Games (PFG) has roped in cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as the brand ambassador. Tendulkar would be instrumental in creating awareness about the genre of fantasy sports in the country. Other than ‘fantasy cricket’ he would help PFG also promote other sports including kabaddi, football, and basketball. The firm said the partnership with Tendulkar will increase its reach in smaller cities and towns. PFG’s parent company Paytm is India's highest-valued unicorn, at $16 billion.

“Cricket is an engaging sport, and we all tend to have opinions about the game – right from player selection to playing strategies. Paytm First Games will give fans the opportunity to don their thinking hats and experience the thrill of making the correct choices and getting their teams to win,” said Sachin Tendulkar.  “I am happy to partner with Paytm First Games to enable cricket fans to engage more with the ever-popular game of cricket.”

“Sachin (Tendulkar) is the pride of our country and the true embodiment of excellence, tenacity, and hard work,” said Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder and CEO  of Paytm. “This association is based on many of the values we share with the greatest sportsperson of all time.”

PFG has also set aside Rs 300 crore for investing in growing the market for fantasy sports and other online gaming events during this financial year. It said that over the next six months, 200 plus live events would be featured on the platform including international and domestic cricket tournaments and soccer leagues.

"As India’s homegrown gaming platform, our vision is to get the sports fans closer to the action with fantasy sports,” said Sudhanshu Gupta, chief operating officer, Paytm First Games. “Most of us have grown up watching (Tendulkar) in action. With Sachin (Tendulkar) as a brand ambassador, we wish to inspire mobile gaming enthusiasts to experience fantasy sports which are about tactics, strategic planning and research."

PFG said it offers over 50 games, where players apply research and strategy to engage with live sporting events. The platform currently engages with over 80 million gaming enthusiasts with the majority of them from smaller cities and towns. The firm said it is aiming to reach 100 million users in the upcoming T20 league.