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India’s sports economy crossed the $2 billion milestone for the first time in 2025, reaching ₹18,864 crore ($2,134 million), according to the 13th edition of WPP Media’s “Sporting Nation: Building a Legacy,” its flagship report tracking the evolution of India’s sports sponsorship landscape. The figure represents 13.4% growth over ₹16,633 crore in 2024.
The report attributes the milestone to the increasing structural strength and maturity of India’s sports ecosystem. The industry has nearly doubled over the last four years, rising from ₹9,530 crore in 2021 to current levels at an approximate 18.6% CAGR, driven by diversified revenue streams and consistent brand investment.
“The Indian sports economy crossing the $2 billion milestone marks a significant moment in its evolution, reflecting sustained growth and increasing structural maturity, led by the success of the Indian Premier League,” said Ashwin Padmanabhan, Chief Operating Officer, WPP Media South Asia.
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“While cricket continues to anchor the ecosystem, we are also seeing encouraging momentum across other segments of the sports landscape. The opportunity ahead lies in building on this foundation to create a more diverse and scalable multi-sport ecosystem. This will be driven by stronger grassroots participation and continued investment across infrastructure, innovation, and fan engagement.”
Report Highlights
WPP Media provided the following summary:
Cricket continued to dominate the Indian sports economy, contributing 89% of the total industry revenues in 2025, up from 85% in 2024. In absolute terms, cricket generated ₹16,704 crore, registering a strong annual growth of 17.9%. Its dominance extended across all revenue streams, accounting for 81% of sponsorship spends, 87% of endorsements, and 95% of media spends.
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The Indian Premier League remained the centerpiece of this growth, supported by a strong international calendar, including India’s Champions Trophy victory and the Indian women’s team’s ODI World Cup win, alongside the continued rise of the Women’s Premier League, further strengthening the commercial appeal of cricket across formats.
Media spends emerged as the largest contributor to the sports economy, accounting for 51% of
the total industry value. Advertising investments grew by 19.8% year-on-year to reach ₹9,571 crore in 2025, highlighting the central role of sports content distribution in shaping the economics of sport in India. Television advertising stood at ₹5,117 crore, reflecting a 16.4% growth, while digital spends grew at a faster pace of 24% to reach ₹4,449 crore. Sports sponsorship spends recorded a steady growth of 7% to reach ₹7,943 crore in 2025, accounting for 42% of the overall industry.
This growth was driven by premiumisation and improved asset monetisation rather than expansion in inventory. Despite regulatory challenges, particularly the withdrawal of Real Money Gaming players from the ecosystem, the market demonstrated resilience, with traditional sectors stepping into absorb premium inventory, ensuring continuity in growth. In 2025, Sports Celebrity Endorsement in India totalled INR 1,350 Cr ($Mn 153), reflecting a 10.3% uplift over 2024, demonstrating sustained value-creation around athlete-led brand equity. The contribution of cricket was dominant with a whopping 87% of the total pie, which translates to an amount of INR 1,178 Cr ($Mn 133).
The endorsement ecosystem is evolving in nature, with increasing adoption of equity-linked partnerships and deeper integration with team and tournament ecosystems. Athletes are progressively transitioning from being brand ambassadors to strategic partners, reflecting a broader shift towards institutionalised and data-driven endorsement models.
Vinit Karnik, Managing Director – Content, Sports & Entertainment, WPP Media South Asia, added, “Sport today sits at the intersection of culture and commerce, and brands are increasingly becoming part of the narrative rather than just sponsors. The evolution of leagues like the Indian Premier League has shown how deeply integrated partnerships can drive both fan engagement and commercial impact.”
“We are seeing a shift from visibility-led associations to more immersive, story-driven collaborations. This is fundamentally changing how brands unlock value in the sports ecosystem.”
Featured image via WPP Media.
