Root for team spirit

Understanding these challenges, KKR engaged The Wild East Group to develop their licensing programme, and these challenges were at the forefront of the strategy developed. “We looked at this opportunity and programme through a very strategic and long term lens,” says Sid Shah, President of The Wild East Group. “We developed guiding principles that addressed the challenges of the industry and simultaneously met the objectives of KKR. If the opportunity did not fit within our principles, we passed. It is our firm belief that if we adhere to a focused strategic roadmap then KKR’s licensing programme would have multiple long-term partners across every category. We wanted to avoid finding new partners every year and dealing with past partners who were not happy, as is the case in the industry currently.  Equally as important was ensuring that the KKR fans weren’t getting junk, and that they were being treated with the respect of innovative, stylish, and value-add products that gave them pride to sport the KKR lifestyle on and off-season.  The key for us was addressing the challenges and approaching the market with these key guiding principles,” explains Shah.

“When we brainstormed with The Wild East Group we really looked at the macro-trends in India to understand how we could address the challenges in the industry,” says Venky Mysore, MD of The Kolkata Knight Riders. “We realised that apart from cricket and Bollywood, the other hot trend on everybody’s lips was eCommerce.  Diving deeper into the synergies, we realised that partnering with a hot e-commerce company could solve a lot of the challenges that the industry faced as a whole. We spent a lot of time analysing upcoming e-commerce fashion brands, and found a partner in FREECULTR.   Not only were they the hot brand being touted in all of the fashion magazines, but we also saw a management team with the gusto to execute such a large undertaking.  They became our official ‘casual wear partner’ and have designed the team’s travel uniform, besides an exciting line of fashionable sports apparel,” Mysore adds.

Speaking on the occasion, Sujal Shah, MD of FREECULTr said, “We are honored to be associated with KKR, who lead the IPL and are the 2012 champions. This ground breaking partnership marked FREECULTR to be the first lifestyle e-commerce brand to venture into the field of professional sports industry, with cricket, and make the gentleman’s sport more fashionable. Adding to the excitement, we have taken a step further and introduced a full range of sportswear that the team will love and equally excite cricket lovers. Keeping in line with the spirit of the game and the USP of FREECULTR, the KKR collection focuses on style, design and colour along with quality and affordability. It allows fans to become a brand and fanbassador wearing everything from KKR branded shoes, polos, henleys, t-shirts, hats, and other items.”

This is the first time a traditional cricket team has partnered with an upcoming eCommerce fashion brand, and it won’t be the last.  It solves a lot of the problems that have traditionally plagued the industry. Now, any fan can get any product at anytime. The products, because they are not part of the traditional retail supply chain, can be extremely well-designed, affordably priced, and available year round.  This partnership is signaling a change in both industries; in the sports world they are adapting and developing new ways of reaching their business objectives by not being constrained by traditional industries, and in the start-up world, they are realizing that they can have just as much face time with consumers as traditional brands.