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The Roaring Sporting 20s India Leads the Way in Innovation and Engagement

Tim Mulligan, Alistair Taylor and Srishti Das
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The 20,000 Foot View: Touted as the home of the next billion online consumers, India’s rapid adoption of digital media services has been driven by the explosion in smartphone adoption over the last few years. While per capita smartphone penetration still significantly lags behind developed markets, India’s            billion population means that it now has the second largest global smartphone user base after China. In a sports-obsessed country, much of the attention of this vast mobile audience is now being captured by both established traditional sports and newly emerging digitally-native esports and fantasy leagues. Where India goes, the rest of the world is likely to follow as the imminent D-Day for sports rights changes the dynamics of revenue versus reach. Global sports engagement in the            is likely to be heavily shaped by what emerges in the Indian market over the coming years.

Key Insights

  • India is            as a sporting nation, with            performing across different international sports            of cricket like kabaddi, motorsports,            chess etc.
  • Cricket’s continuous            has played a huge part            making the sport the phenomenon            it is, and Star India’s            of the India Premier League            rights has turbocharged its OTT            Hotstar
  • Star India            peak viewership of            million for            2019 IPL final on Hotstar,                       compared to the            million viewership            2018
  • Following the            Cricket World Cup semi-final between            and New Zealand, Hotstar holds            world record for largest concurrent            streaming audience at            million
  • In a            that lives and swears by            there is now no way            watch it without paying 
  • Hotstar is            in over            languages, emphasising the            of the Indian market –            live sport is able to            through
  • Fantasy sports            rising fast in popularity, with            fantasy league            growing its player            from            million users in 2015            over            million in 2020
  • A rapidly            esports ecosystem is rising on            back of the explosion in            activity
  • India offers            glimpse into sports’ digital future            low margins but vastly enlarged           

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Airtel,            Century Fox, Star India, Disney+, Vivo Indian Premier League, Dream            Indian Premier League, Jio, Reliance, IMG, BAARC, Hotstar, Pro Kabaddi League, Disney, Star Sports, Sony Pictures Network, SonyLiv, JioTV, AirtelTV, IMG Reliance, Indian Super League, WWE, English Premier League, Redmi, OPPO, Vivo, Micromax, Reliance Industries, Vodafone, ZeeTV,