Sports associations

Rise of Non-Cricket Sports in India

Strategic Insights

Aug 28, 2025 — 1 min read

As India celebrates National Sports Day on August 29, the sports ecosystem is witnessing a quiet shift towards non-cricket sports. Players, audiences, and brands are increasingly taking notice of sports beyond cricket, with pickleball and padel gaining momentum. Experts point to the potential for smaller tournaments and leagues to attract brands and audiences, offering a fresh approach to sports marketing.

Key Takeaways:

Khelomore, an online platform, records 60,000 bookings a month for non-cricket sports courts and venues, with brands like Blue Tokai, Eatfit, and Liquid IV partnering for activations.
Sambhav Jain, director of SJ Uplift Kabaddi, promotes desi sports at the state level, attracting busloads of villagers and brand alliances, including ITC's Bingo! and Ghari detergent.
Pro Panja League, founded by Pravinn Dabass, concludes its second season with an overwhelming response on social media, featuring Royal Enfield as the main sponsor.
Pickleball courts are now available in 75 cities, with sports marketing expert Indranil Das Blah suggesting community formats can be commercially viable.
Non-cricket sports generated Rs.2,559 crore in revenue in 2024, accounting for 14% of India's sports industry revenue, with an annual growth rate of 24%.
Emerging sports revenue could touch Rs.8,500 crore in the next 7-8 years with a push to the ecosystem.

Statistics:

60,000 bookings a month for non-cricket sports courts and venues on Khelomore.
75 cities with available pickleball courts.
Rs.2,559 crore in revenue generated by non-cricket sports in 2024.
14% of India's sports industry revenue in 2024.
24% annual growth rate for the emerging sports sector.
Rs.8,500 crore potential revenue from emerging sports in the next 7-8 years.

Sources:

Ujwal Deole, co-founder of Khelomore
Sambhav Jain, director of SJ Uplift Kabaddi
Pravinn Dabass, founder of Pro Panja League
Indranil Das Blah, sports marketing expert
Havas Play, Emerging Sports report (no specific date mentioned)

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