Royal Cricket Fusion

Rohit Sharma, one of India's most successful cricket captains, is expanding his influence off the field through a partnership with True Elements, launching a licensed brand called RS by True Elements. This collaboration aims to create a new line of healthy food products in the Indian market.

As the brand ambassador, Rohit Sharma will lead the development and marketing of RS by True Elements, alongside True Elements, a reputable homegrown brand known for its nutritious breakfast options and snacks. RISE Worldwide will manage the partnership by focusing on promoting transparency and quality in food choices.

“This is a great opportunity to launch RS by True Elements, as today's consumers prioritize knowing what they eat,” said Rohit Sharma. He expressed admiration for True Elements' commitment to its values and philosophy, stating that the partnership aims to provide consumers with healthier choices.

Puru Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of True Elements remarked, “This is the first time a cricketer is licensing a health food brand in India. Rohit's authenticity in cricket reinforces our commitment to being 'True' and honest with our customers.” Gupta believes this collaboration will set a new standard in the industry, motivating the entire team to achieve greater heights.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top Indian gamers of the country, and if you have a keen eye, you must have noticed that the Prime Minister was sitting on Cybeart gaming chairs. As soon as the video of the meeting went viral, Cybeart witnessed a 120 percent increase in weekly revenue.

It should be noted that the video of PM Modi meeting Indian gamers was first posted on PM Narendra Modi’s YouTube channel, which has over 22 million subscribers, and the video has garnered over 1 million views so far. This led to huge traction for the brand.

Cybeart's premium Apex Series - X11 Gray Chair was observed during the exclusive roundtable discussion featuring prominent personalities from India's Esports scene, including Animesh Agarwal (8Bit_Thug), Naman Mathur (Mortal), and Payal Dhare (PayalGaming), alongside Ganesh Gangadhar (SKRossi), Anshu Bisht (GamerFleet), Mithilesh Patankar (MythPat), and Tirth Mehta.

When reached for comment, Cybeart's spokesperson said, “As far as awareness of our brand is concerned, the results have been good. Now the brand has been recognized widely and is being acknowledged by people who didn’t know about our brand earlier. Due to this organic and indirect gesture, we have seen a surge of 20 percent in our impression rate since last week on Instagram.”

“Apart from that, we have also seen an increase in weekly revenue by 120 percent. That being said, it is very early to comment on the direct impact of the incident on our brand; we will know more in the coming days as the customer journey for us is long compared to other commodity-based products.”

Krutik Patel, Founder and CEO of Cybeart posted on LinkedIn, "Its a dream come true! Manifested this for sooo long to showcase Cybeart chairs to our Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji. Cybeart chairs have finally made their way to the Prime Minister's residence, and it's an honour to see the most powerful man in India seated on the most powerful seat of India. Recently, PM Shri Narendra Modi ji met with some of India's top gaming creators and Esports athletes to host a talk show regarding the next stage of gaming industry."

The post further read, "A revolution is begining and the Indian Gaming Ecosystem is finally getting the recognition and support it needs to fuel the next stage of growth. We at Cybeart among many of our amazing partners are very proud to be one of the key stakeholders nurturing the growth of gaming industry from the ground up. We are very bullish on India and Cybeart will keep investing in the Indian gaming ecosystem."

It’s worth noting that The ‘Gaming Chair Market 2023-2027’ report by Technavio indicates that the gaming chair market size is projected to grow by USD 404.7 million between 2023 and 2027, with an accelerating CAGR of 7.2%. This growth is notably attributed to the health-related benefits associated with gaming chairs.

Cybeart is one of the leading manufacturer of comfortable and premium high-quality products across Canada, India, and the Middle East. Cybeart has established a formidable presence in India’s Esports and sports landscape through strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Revenant Esports and Orangutan Esports, as well as cricket powerhouses like Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.

During and after the COVID era, it was considered a golden period for the Indian gaming industry. However, one must not overlook how the growth of the Indian esports industry struggled to grow, causing financial challenges for esports team owners in the country. The reason behind this slow growth was due to the limited options available for expanding revenue streams. Nevertheless, merchandising consistently remained a viable option for these esports teams, serving as a tool to periodically boost their income.

It should be noted that the Indian esports industry is expected to grow from $40 million in 2022 to $140 million by 2027, according to the State of India Gaming Report 2022 from AWS and Lumikai. The report found the number of esports players in India grew four-fold - from 150,000 in 2021 to 600,000 in 2022 - and is expected to grow 2.5 times over the next five years, reaching 1.5 million by 2027. Furthermore, esports revenue, currently at $0.04 billion, is a small segment but is likely to grow rapidly at a 32% CAGR through 2027.

Merchandising as a Revenue Stream

Varun Bhavnani, Chief Gaming Officer & Co-founder of Entity, stated, “Globally, Entity is among the top teams in the Dota 2 circuit, and every LAN event is a sales opportunity. We roughly sell about 80-90 percent of our drops at Dota 2 LAN events. The European division is doing great in that regard; we are partnered with a leading esports wear company, We Are Nations, that’s been a vendor for Valve events.”

Talking about the Indian merchandising market, Bhavnani said, “If tapped into the merchandising market in India correctly, we can produce substantial profits. Merchandise acts as a placeholder for branding, and that’s more revenue from the brand deals we get. This allows us entry into newer consumer bases. It boosts brand loyalty, especially when you’re in the competitive business of esports. That’s how I look at it, one tool to build and bolster the brand marketing facet.”

Devam “Dev” Vyas, Vice President at Gods Reign, said, “The merchandising and licensing segment is poised to become a significant contributor to our revenue growth as Gods Reign strategically prepares to launch its exclusive merchandise line. We have diligently worked on creating a seamless structure to ensure the delivery of diverse and attractive merchandise that will provide our fans with the best possible experience. Anticipating the imminent launch in the month of March, Gods Reign is committed to setting new standards in the esports industry with a compelling merchandise offering.”

Community Connect

With merchandising being at a very nascent stage for the esports team in India, Orangutan is hoping to generate 10-15 percent via merchandising to their overall revenue, Jai Shah, Co-founder of Orangutan said, “Last year we announced our partnership with Puma. Since then, we focused on a slow and steady way of introducing different forms of merchandise for our community. We want to ensure that at every step, we engage the community with new merchandise that we introduce and provide them with a seamless experience. We want to provide the best for our community and make them feel that they are valued and very important to the organization.”

He adds, “As for expansion, currently, we have launched our Home and Away Jerseys along with a travel polo. We aim to launch active-wear jackets and hoodies and get into many more SKUs. Furthering our plan for expansion in merchandising, we also hope to get into streetwear and apparel as time comes.”

Stressing on the importance of merchandising as an important revenue stream Shah said, “Merchandising helps everyone monetize their community, be it an individual creator/influencer or an organization. Merchandising is the first or the most basic step in which anyone can continue to stay connected with their community.”

Looking for Partnerships

Bhavnani of Entity said, “We have been popping off with our fanbase steadily in the domestic and international circuits. Nevertheless, we are actively looking for new vendors for licensed partnerships. In fact, we have found a few local manufacturers with good supply chains which I’m hoping to close by the end of the first quarter.”

He further said, “We see a lot of potential with the awareness of competitive gaming raising so many eyeballs in the region, which is helpful in our pursuit of finding meaningful connections. For now, we get our merch made from Planet Superheroes, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nodwin Gaming.”

Vyas of God’s Reign said, “Looking ahead, our expansion plans include a nuanced and calculated approach towards broadening and deployment of an expansive and diverse merchandise portfolio, encompassing jerseys, oversized T-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies, jackets, sneakers, and other premium items. This initiative aligns with our commitment to delivering unparalleled quality and aesthetic appeal for the community.”

Vyas further stated, “Beyond the current portfolio, we envision introducing exclusive collaborations, limited-edition releases, and strategic partnerships to further diversify our range. As we uphold the tradition of having the most beautiful and premium jerseys in the country under the banner of Gods Reign, our future plans are geared towards not only sustaining but surpassing these standards across our entire merchandise spectrum.”

Facing Challenges

The Indian esports industry has been exposed to multiple challenges, mostly revolving around maintaining esports rosters. Inflated player salaries, limited brand sponsorship deals, a toxic fan base, and controversies related to cheating scandals have affected the Indian esports industry drastically.

Bhavnani, while elaborating on the challenges faced while expanding the merchandising business in India, said, “It is a bit of a challenge to make merchandising bring you revenue. We’ve tried partnering with a few vendors in the past like The Souled Store, but it didn’t work out for us. What I’ve learned from my conversations with such brands is that there are supply chain and warehousing issues, and as a brand, I will have to bear a huge capital to get my merch rolling.”

He further said, “While stall spaces at tournament venues are also one way to do the sales. Unfortunately, tournament organizers in India have not paid attention to this angle of brand activation yet. Stalls are only for gaming festivals and conventions for now, but I’m hoping we’ll get there someday. Hence we kept our drops limited and sometimes on demand. We are exploring the side of innovative designs in hoodies, jackets, and caps with our limited drops.”

Vyas said, “In addressing the ongoing challenges faced by esports organizations in India with regard to revenue growth, we at Gods Reign acknowledge the pivotal role that merchandising and licensing extensions play in advancing our brand within the domestic market. By leveraging these avenues, Gods Reign aims to tap into the passionate eSports community, creating deeper connections through exclusive and premium offerings, setting us apart as a trendsetter in the Indian gaming scene.”

Though merchandising is a wait and watch game for the Indian esports industry, the brand extension route can definitely pull the sinking revenues of esports team to newer heights.  

The craze and excitement for The Indian Premier League in India are unparalleled. Cricket is more than just a sport it is more like a religion in our country. Teams in IPL have a very loyal & hardcore fan following. This is a huge factor why even during such difficult times when a pandemic has struck the world & affected each and every country regardless of its economic development, IPL in UAE is still able to be such a success.

The opening match of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League was watched by 20 crore people. LetsOTT, a Malaysian-based digital media company said as many as 8.1 million concurrent viewers logged on to Disney + Hotstar to watch the first match of Indian Premier League (IPL), 2020.

IPL has acted as a savior for various companies during these tough times as more & more companies try to associate with various teams of IPL as this helps them in providing better marketing & promotional opportunities to these companies to showcase their products & most of all make money through manufacturing & selling the merchandise of their respective associated teams.

Performax, The Official Jersey Partners Mumbai Indians

Lightweight, functional, durable, and stylish brand Performax is designed by the French design house-Carlin to support and equip athletes to achieve optimal performance. They are the official jersey partners of Mumbai Indians and deal in merchandise such as Men's Match Jersey, Silicon Wristbands, MI Cotton Polo, MI Travel Polo, MI Practice Jersey, MI Men’s Sports Cap.

SEVEN becomes Official Merchandising Partner of The Champions from Chepauk: Chennai Super Kings

Seven, a homegrown fitness and active lifestyle brand and deals in footwear, apparel, and accessories are the official merchandising, clothing, and kitting partners of Chennai Super Kings. The SEVEN Official IPL Collection includes the official team outfit of Jersey, Lowers, and supporting accessories. The collection also includes the team training/workout apparel and accessories; shorts, jersey, lowers, and caps. The entire range is made of 100% Polyester, Breathable, Skin Friendly, Antibacterial, and Antistatic material.

Alcis Sports, The Official Kitting & Merchandising Partners Rajasthan Royals

They are the official kit and merchandise partners of the Rajasthan Royals and have been associated with the team since 2019. The company is providing all the merchandise related to Rajasthan Royals whether it be Track Pants, Shorts, Jerseys, Training Kits, Women Jerseys, fans wear tees, Polo shirts, Masks, etc.

Myntra, The Exclusive Fashion Partners Royal Challengers Bangalore

E-Commerce platform Myntra announced its partnership with the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, to be their exclusive fashion partners for this year's edition of the Indian Premier League. Myntra will host a range of the latest cricket merchandise related to RCB on their platform & give ardent fans a chance to get their hands on the latest RCB jersey to join the excitement. Myntra’s logo will be displayed on the upper right chest of Virat Kohli’s team jersey throughout the tournament.

Global sports company PUMA has signed Indian professional sprinter and national champion Dutee Chand. Making it her first exclusive brand association, Dutee joins an impressive roster of world class PUMA athletes. The young sprinter will be equipped with custom-made performance gear to support her never-ending effort to become faster, stronger, and better every single day.

At only 23 years of age, Dutee has represented the country at national and international sporting events, winning several medals and breaking a fair share of records. Dutee is the 3rd Indian Woman ever to qualify for the Women’s 100m at the Summer Olympics. She is also the first Indian woman track and field athlete to clinch a gold medal in the World University Games by winning the women’s 100m dash in Napoli by clocking 11.32 seconds.

“This is my very first exclusive brand association and I’m thrilled that it’s with a company that has worked with legendary athletes like Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive,” said Dutee Chand. “It’s great to see PUMA encourage athletes across sporting fields and I’m humbled by their trust in me to represent the brand in India. This means a lot to me and I’m excited about my association with PUMA.”

Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director, PUMA India said, “Dutee’s success is a result of a sheer display of her exceptional athletic capabilities and power on the track. Having rewritten the history of Indian sports in her explosive style, she represents everything we are as a brand. This partnership further reinforces our commitment to the sports ecosystem in India and we believe she will have a big influence in shaping the future of Track and Field in the country. We look forward to working with Dutee and being a part of her journey,”

 Partnering with PUMA, Dutee Chand joins some of the world’s greatest track and field athletes?like legends?Tommie Smith, Maradona, Pelé, Usain Bolt and most recently, Karsten Warholm, Ejowvokoghene Divine Oduduru and Janeek Brown. Having achieved many firsts for India, Dutee’s dedication to the sport will continue to see her shine in everything she strives for, especially on the road to 2020.

“PUMA signing Dutee Chand has ensured that India’s fastest sprinter now has the best gear to back her up. We are pleased to have facilitated the association between Dutee and PUMA, who is synonymous to the brand’s success in India,” said Adil Mistry Partner, MAAT Jacks Entertainment, Sports and Lifestyle LLP.

The PGA of America has entered into a partnership with Bradford Licensing for representation in the retail space in select international markets. Now Bradford License India will extend licensing the brand into the Indian Territory. As one of the world’s largest sports associations comprised of nearly 29,000 PGA of America Professionals recognized as the experts in teaching and growing the game of golf, the PGA of America has a powerful brand that appeals to a wide demographic globally.

Ashish Saxena, Business Head Bradford License India said, “The expansion and popularity of the sport in India continues to attract new fans and consumers alike. Additionally, with over 230 golf courses and influx in the pool of golfers, we feel confident that the timing is ripe to build the PGA brand in India.” With the goal of contributing to the lifestyle market, some of the licensing initiatives might be inventive in nature.

For example, realty developers are are researching the viability of wooing buyers by offering golf themed apartment complexes. These innovative marketing strategies are testament to the game’s increasing popularity. Such an upswing is indeed stirring demand for branded golf merchandise. “With golf’s worldwide following numbering in the hundreds of millions and PGA of America Professionals working in  more than 30 countries around the world, tapping into myriad licensing partnerships is an exciting challenge,”noted Arjun Chowdri, Sr. Director Global & Corporate Strategy at the PGA of America. “We are delighted to be partners with Bradford Licensing in our worldwide licensing endeavors to help elevate the brand of the PGA of America and its Members overseas.”

The licensed sports merchandise market is experiencing steady growth owing to the increase in health awareness and fitness activities. With a worth of 31.03 billion USD in 2017, the global market is pegged at 43.28 billion USD by 2023 with a CAGR of 5.7 per cent during the period. One of the major drivers for this market is increase in fitness activities that has swelled the spending on sports merchandise especially clothes and footwear.

Though dominated by frenzy for cricket, Indian market is gradually opening up for newer franchises and sports such as WWE, NBA, FIFA, Pro-kabbadi League etc. both in terms of viewership as well as licensed merchandise. Monetizing on this fad, Dream Theatre, which represents the Spanish, European and world football giants Real Madrid CF, has announced a licensed apparel range of the football club.

This announcement was made by Dream Theatre on their social media page and it mentions that the range would include active wear for men. The collection will be manufactured and retailed exclusively by Beevee Clothing, a bottom wear brand for men. With a presence in over 116 countries with more that 9800 licensed articles, Real Madrid enjoys high reputation in licensing and merchandising markets. The brand has around 158 licensees across the world and 37 million Real Madrid licensed products were sold in 2017. The top selling licensed product for this brand in India is the T-shirts so far.

The football fans have plenty to rejoice as they prepare for the Fifa World Cup 2018 Merchandise. And so do the retailers who are leaving no stone upturned to monetize on the FIFA fever. The total revenue of FIFA from licensing rights worldwide took a slump in 2017 ($160.21 mn) as compared to $206.4 mn in 2016, and initially leaving the brands reluctant to get on board with FIFA, but gradually they’ve figured out a strategy to speak to the FIFA fans and monetize on the fandom. Taking place in Russia between June 14th and July 15th 2018, this FIFA football World Cup tournament, , is going to be the 21st edition of the quadrennially held international soccer competition. According to Forbes, FIFA World Cup is among top five most valuable sports events brands worldwide in 2017 with a value of $229 million.

Hopping on the FIFA bandwagon Vivo -  the the official smartphone sponsor of the 2018 Fifa World Cup has unveiled a Fifa World Cup limited edition smartphone in China, where it officially kicked off its global marketing campaign for the World Cup. Also FIFA has associated with stalwarts like Visa, Coca-cola, Adidas and Qatar Airways. In India, Alcis Sports has rolled out FIFA official merchandise on Flipkart. Alcis Sports is expecting an unprecedented response from football fans through this merchandise range.

The brand has lined up a comprehensive range of over 550 articles. Roshan Baid, Managing Director, Alcis Sports said, “Football has always been popular among fans in our country and it got a further boost when we hosted the U-17 World Cup in India. With the Russia World Cup just a matter of few days away, it is the right time to introduce these products to these fans.” A survey conducted in Brazil for the 2014 edition of the World Cup depicted that more than 80 per cent of the respondents were interested in acquiring licensed products, with t-shirts, stuffed toys (for example World Cup’s official mascot), hats and keychains being the most popular.

Anuj Batra, President, Alcis Sports said, “The mandate from FIFA for the 2018 Russia World Cup licensed apparel merchandise is a wonderful opportunity for us at Alcis Sports to showcase our manufacturing capabilities and prowess.” Globally recognized fashion company Louis Vuitton once again to make a special case that will hold the Official FIFA World Cup Trophy. Moreover, LV has added two new projects in anticipation of the world finals in Russia: an official adidas match ball collection trunk and an official licensed product collection.

Since 2010, Louis Vuitton is providing a bespoke case to ensure the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy travelled in safety and in style. Also Louis Vuitton has teamed up with adidas and FIFA to create an exclusive and truly unique match ball trunk. With only 21 available for purchase worldwide, the trunk will hold 13 re-editions of the Official Match balls used at the World Cup since 1970 and one Louis Vuitton specially-designed football. In addition to the trunk, Louis Vuitton is launching 2018 FIFA World Cup™ Official Licensed Product Collection, including exclusive versions of Keepall and Apollo bags along with a selection of smaller leather pieces.

The isolated roads, all eyes glued to TV and stadium chanting “Sachin, Sachin” are a testimony to India’s penchant towards sports, particularly cricket. However, the same is yet to resonate in terms of sales of sports licensed merchandise. For a nation as diverse as India, the fan market for sportsmen has been lucrative since always - the sport and team popularity driving media attention, which further channelizes the tie ups between sportsmen and the various leagues; it all deciphers into substantial consumer interest thus indicating the mammoth unlocked potential. Stated as the second biggest category in licensing industry globally, sports licensing is believed to reach US$ 48.17 bn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2016 to 2024, which has been valued at US$ 24.9 billion in 2016 (as per Transparency Market Research). The growth has been spurred by the spread of many of Europe’s leading sport organizations’ licensing programmes into India, credits to the growing consumer base exposed to the global content. Sports as a genre of licensing contributed to US$18 million to the retail sales of licensed merchandise in year 2016. And royalties worth US$ 1.10 million were generated from the licensed merchandise in year 2016.

The Indian story: a lot more than cricket and sneakers Advent of sports leagues such as IPL and Pro-kabaddi League has restructured the industry scenario in the country. Football clubs have found their mainstay in India; WWE has launched its online shop with the Souled Store; and sports like basketball are also being looked upon as an IP worth investing. This is evident with The National Basketball Association (NBA) announcing the launch of NBA Basketball School in Mumbai, and its apparel are available at 600 plus retail points across the country. In words of NBA India’s Managing Director Yannick Colaco, “Digital content has already revolutionized the licensing industry, particularly sports licensing, which has seen a shift in consumption pattern due to advent of live sports.” According to Aashay Shah, Founder and CEO, Goalsquad.com, soccer merchandise has high retail value in India, and in times to come, it will be at par with cricket. In his words, “If cricket is the game of father, football is the game of the son. With constant time crunch, people don’t have patience to sit throughout the cricket matches and that is one of the reasons for 20-20 formats. Also football has big followers in Kolkata, Kerala, and Mumbai.

Right now football is second to cricket, but in times to come, it will be at par with cricket.” While the global licensed sports merchandise market is obsessed with by innovation and development of more attractive and stylish sports apparel, and other product varieties, the Indian market is gradually moving beyond sneakers. In words of Pankaj Sikka, Founder, Chief Visionary and Brand Strategist, Invision Brand Consulting, “In terms of consumption patterns in this space, we have moved away from the ‘sports = sneakers’ mindset. Changing lifestyles, penchant for fitness, the uptake of Marathons and Tennis Leagues etc. have opened up huge niche segments across Active wear and League merchandise right from T-shirts, bags, stationary, tech accessories etc.

The market is also significantly influenced by the improved economic conditions across developing economies such as India and China, owing to which, sports lovers are spending lavishly on licensed sports merchandise. Licensed merchandise across the sports leagues / teams / brands is a small but growing revenue earner. The fans today love to dress up as their favorite teams / players and thus we see the maximum traction coming across the fashion and fashion accessories space. Of cource considering that fans come across all the spectrum of the society, mass price points are always doing well specially in the fashion category. The growing of retail points through e-retail has opened an avenue of higher price points as well as niche category but high defined quality products.

The way forward… In words of Bhavik Vora, Founder & CEO, Black White Orange Brands, “Cricket is a religion here, but merchandise programs of popular league teams have not seen much success (except for team jerseys on match days – also hugely pirated) compared to top teams of International football leagues. If authorities and team owners focus on this aspect of the brand, this is an area waiting to explode.” For sports brands to get into licensing, it’s important that they choose the right partner, a partner who shall not only help in creating the right licensing program but also work closely with the brand team to indentify and launch the licensed merchandise.

Sports licensing has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the licensing business worldwide. During the recently concluded third season of IPL, sports licensing was at an all time high.

IPL has been the gateway to the licensed merchandised like caps, T shirts, flip-flops, etc in India. These merchandise are the outcome of the licensing tie-ups with the sports wear manufacturers and the participating teams in the tournament. The entire initiative successfully created an excitement among the cricket lovers, which we can call a spin off from the actual centre of attraction, i.e., the tournament itself. But the manufacturers and retailers made hay while the sun shone from these spin offs, which were no less intense in terms of fan involvement. Apart from the sports wear manufacturers like Reebok, Adidas and Puma who sold the licensed merchandise through their own retail outlets, the retailers like The Loot, Odyssey and Delhi-based Twenty Four Seven joined the bandwagon through their tie-ups with the manufacturers.

Recent sports licensing deals However, the deal to reckon with, is the recent announcement by Billionaire Sports Pvt Ltd about tying up with Singapore based Manchester United Food and Beverage (Asia) Pvt Ltd (MUFB) to launch Manchester United Restaurant & Bar. The famous football team, Manchester United, of the UK has licensed its club name to run a chain of restaurants and bars. MUFB possesses the exclusive rights to operate franchise and develop a chain of Manchester United restaurants and bar concepts in the Asia - Pacific region. Planet Sports, the country's leading multi-brand sports and lifestyle specialty retail chain announced the launch of Wilson's revolutionary and technologically advanced 'BLX series of Tennis Racket.' Wilson Racquet Sports is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world's leading manufacturers of sports equipment and owned by Amer Sports. Wilson Racquet Sports has an exclusive marketing tie-up with Winner Sports, a fully-owned subsidiary of Pantaloon Retail India Ltd., part of Future Group, for licensing and distributing its product in India. The entire range of Wilson BLX technology series will be retailed through 69 specialty Planet Sports outlets in the country. Ravdeep Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Winner Sports Pvt. Ltd. says, "It is a proud moment for us to introduce such a cutting-edge technology in rackets that will go a long way towards improving the way tennis is played in India and the world. Through Planet Sports, our endeavour is to pioneer innovations and bring to India unparalled and latest technologically-advanced sports brands. The BLX racquet is a part of that vision."

Opportunity in store It's time, companies realised how sports can aid in building a brand. Some already have, for instance, Bharti Airtel become one of the sponsors of the world's richest club United Manchester. There are hoards of opportunities in store for brands, as India is all set to host Commonwealth Games, and chances are there for Formula1 race to be held in the country. Brands must seize the opportunity to maximise their brand equity by associating with the sports events that are in the pipeline, so that licensing emerges as the strongest means for churning out substantial business.

Commonwealth Games are around the corner and in an effort to reach out to a wider audience and promote the games, the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi (OC CWG Delhi 2010) has come up with ‘The Delhi 2010 Licensing and Merchandising Programme.’ Under the programme, the committee is seeking to appoint an official merchandise concessionaire to design, build and operate the online retail shop and games-time venue concessions and superstores (to be located at Delhi-Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex) that will retail licensed merchandise.

The licensed merchandise will encourage hype, fun and frolic around the historic event and create enthusiasm and excitement among the people. Commonwealth Games are set to create history in Delhi from October 3, 2010 to October 14, 2010. Manufacturers, retailers and consumers can make the most of it! There are five intellectual properties (brand properties) related to the games that can be leveraged by an appointed licensee or licensees. And they are Delhi 2010 logo, 2010 Commonwealth games mascot – Shera, games pictograms, signature elements and team India Logo. Sports enthusiasts are already familiar with the IPs and have developed an affinity towards them.

Manufacturers and retailers can cash in on this great opportunity, which will eventually aid in enhancing the whole look and feel of the event by increasing the fan base. T.S. Darbari, Joint Director General, Delhi 2010 XIX Commonwealth Games reveals, “There is an economic impact of these games. They contribute a lot to the GDP, for instance, Commonwealth Games held at Manchester in 2002, contributed USD 3400 million to the country’s GDP, while that held in Melbourne in 2006 had an impact of USD 1600 million on Australia’s GDP.

The forthcoming CWG is expected to have an impact of USD 4940 million on India’s GDP.” According to Sanjay Mohindroo, Deputy Director General, Technology and Marketing, OC CWG Delhi 2010, licensing and merchandising programme is an integral part of CWG and the primary focus, is to create opportunities that can be leveraged to generate hundreds of crore.

The range of licensed merchandise includes items from apparel and accessories, collectables and publishing, to gifts and home wares, giving a sense of belonging and inclusion to a wide variety of audience. The official merchandise will only be available via officially selected retail outlets initially, and later via Delhi 2010 official stores and the games website.

The merchandise is planned to go on sale shortly. Beware of counterfeit merchandise. Official merchandise will exclusively be available at Official Licensed Outlets and not every retail outlet. Get set to grab your stuff before your neighbour does!

Sports licensing, a fast growing emerging segment, has been propelled largely by the popularity of the IPL. And, to leverage the opportunities from the large ‘fan’ base, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – co-owned by Shahrukh Khan and champions during the ’12 series, has aggressively grown its licensed merchandise portfolio over the past few years.

As part of this strategy, KKR is partnering with The Wild East Group and entering new licensing segments. “KKR is extremely bullish about licensing and merchandising in India, but the objectives shall be fully realised over the long-term,” said Fid Shah, President, Wild East Group. KKR’s licensee - Freecultr for casual wear and apparel merchandising, offers a variety of fashion products including casual shoes, belts, hats and T-shirts.

“KKR has a multi-level programme with sponsors, partners, and licensees. We are extremely careful to ensure that the trademark is exclusive across all three levels,” Summing up, Sid said, “Consumers want to experience popular icons in their day-to-day lives with a variety of licensed merchandise.”