{"id":38925,"date":"2025-05-26T13:43:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T08:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/?p=38925"},"modified":"2025-05-26T13:43:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T08:13:24","slug":"emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Cricket: How Emerging Sports Are Redefining India\u2019s $130B Marketing Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Hi there, brand builders!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s get one thing out of the way. If you still think <em>cricket<\/em> is the only game in town when it comes to sports marketing in India\u2014well, it&#8217;s time for a timeout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>India\u2019s sports economy is sprinting toward a <strong>$130 billion<\/strong> valuation by 2030 (Source: Deloitte-Google, 2024). But here\u2019s the plot twist: cricket isn\u2019t the sole driver anymore. It\u2019s still big, no doubt, but if your marketing strategy starts and ends with cricket, you\u2019re playing in just one stadium when there\u2019s a whole sports universe out there.So, grab your metaphorical jersey, because we\u2019re diving into the fastest-growing, most under-tapped segment in Indian marketing today: <strong>emerging sports<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_55 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-69e7ab0f2146f\" ><span class=\"\"><span style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input aria-label=\"Toggle\" aria-label=\"item-69e7ab0f2146f\"  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69e7ab0f2146f\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8E%AF_The_Top_5_Emerging_Sports_Brands_Can%E2%80%99t_Afford_to_Ignore\" title=\"\ud83c\udfaf The Top 5 Emerging Sports Brands Can\u2019t Afford to Ignore\">\ud83c\udfaf The Top 5 Emerging Sports Brands Can\u2019t Afford to Ignore<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Kabaddi_in_India_A_Timeline_of_Its_Rise_to_Prime_Time\" title=\"Kabaddi in India: A Timeline of Its Rise to Prime Time\">Kabaddi in India: A Timeline of Its Rise to Prime Time<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Pre-2010_Traditional_Roots\" title=\"Pre-2010: Traditional Roots\">Pre-2010: Traditional Roots<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2010%E2%80%932013_Early_Modernization\" title=\"2010\u20132013: Early Modernization\">2010\u20132013: Early Modernization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2014_Pro_Kabaddi_League_PKL_Launch%E2%80%94The_Gamechanger\" title=\"2014: Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Launch\u2014The Gamechanger\">2014: Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Launch\u2014The Gamechanger<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2015%E2%80%932018_Rapid_Growth_and_Brand_Entry\" title=\"2015\u20132018: Rapid Growth and Brand Entry\">2015\u20132018: Rapid Growth and Brand Entry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2019%E2%80%932021_Digital_and_Regional_Boom\" title=\"2019\u20132021: Digital and Regional Boom\">2019\u20132021: Digital and Regional Boom<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2022%E2%80%932024_A_National_Phenomenon\" title=\"2022\u20132024: A National Phenomenon\">2022\u20132024: A National Phenomenon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Why_It_Works%E2%80%942024_Perspective\" title=\"Why It Works\u20142024 Perspective\">Why It Works\u20142024 Perspective<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Football_ISL_Timeline_of_the_Urban_Underdog\" title=\"Football (ISL): Timeline of the Urban Underdog\">Football (ISL): Timeline of the Urban Underdog<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Pre-2010_Regional_Passion_National_Neglect\" title=\"Pre-2010: Regional Passion, National Neglect\">Pre-2010: Regional Passion, National Neglect<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2010%E2%80%932013_Seeds_of_Change\" title=\"2010\u20132013: Seeds of Change\">2010\u20132013: Seeds of Change<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2014_The_Birth_of_ISL%E2%80%94A_Marketing_Gamechanger\" title=\"2014: The Birth of ISL\u2014A Marketing Gamechanger\">2014: The Birth of ISL\u2014A Marketing Gamechanger<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2015%E2%80%932018_Growth_and_Urban_Consolidation\" title=\"2015\u20132018: Growth and Urban Consolidation\">2015\u20132018: Growth and Urban Consolidation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2019%E2%80%932021_Young_Digital_Loyal\" title=\"2019\u20132021: Young, Digital, Loyal\">2019\u20132021: Young, Digital, Loyal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2022%E2%80%932024_National_League_Local_Love\" title=\"2022\u20132024: National League, Local Love\">2022\u20132024: National League, Local Love<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8F%B8_Badminton_Timeline_of_Growth_in_India\" title=\"\ud83c\udff8 Badminton: Timeline of Growth in India\">\ud83c\udff8 Badminton: Timeline of Growth in India<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Pre-2010_Hidden_Gem_Status\" title=\"Pre-2010: Hidden Gem Status\">Pre-2010: Hidden Gem Status<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2010%E2%80%932014_The_International_Spark\" title=\"2010\u20132014: The International Spark\">2010\u20132014: The International Spark<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2015%E2%80%932017_Star_Power_National_Pride\" title=\"2015\u20132017: Star Power &amp; National Pride\">2015\u20132017: Star Power &amp; National Pride<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2018%E2%80%932021_Women-Led_Surge_and_Brand_Play\" title=\"2018\u20132021: Women-Led Surge and Brand Play\">2018\u20132021: Women-Led Surge and Brand Play<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2022%E2%80%932024_Aspirational_Urban_Wellness-Driven\" title=\"2022\u20132024: Aspirational, Urban, &amp; Wellness-Driven\">2022\u20132024: Aspirational, Urban, &amp; Wellness-Driven<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8E%AF_Athletics_Timeline%E2%80%94From_National_Hope_to_Brand_Goldmine\" title=\"\ud83c\udfaf Athletics: Timeline\u2014From National Hope to Brand Goldmine\">\ud83c\udfaf Athletics: Timeline\u2014From National Hope to Brand Goldmine<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Pre-2010_The_Silent_Track\" title=\"Pre-2010: The Silent Track\">Pre-2010: The Silent Track<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2010%E2%80%932015_Slow_and_Steady_Growth\" title=\"2010\u20132015: Slow and Steady Growth\">2010\u20132015: Slow and Steady Growth<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2016%E2%80%932021_The_Spark_of_Global_Success\" title=\"2016\u20132021: The Spark of Global Success\">2016\u20132021: The Spark of Global Success<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2021%E2%80%932022_Olympic_Breakthrough_Brand_Stampede\" title=\"2021\u20132022: Olympic Breakthrough, Brand Stampede\">2021\u20132022: Olympic Breakthrough, Brand Stampede<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2023%E2%80%932024_From_Podium_to_Pop_Culture\" title=\"2023\u20132024: From Podium to Pop Culture\">2023\u20132024: From Podium to Pop Culture<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%A7%A0_Chess_Timeline%E2%80%94From_Board_Games_to_Broadcast_Stardom\" title=\"\ud83e\udde0 Chess: Timeline\u2014From Board Games to Broadcast Stardom\">\ud83e\udde0 Chess: Timeline\u2014From Board Games to Broadcast Stardom<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#Pre-2010_Niche_but_Respected\" title=\"Pre-2010: Niche but Respected\">Pre-2010: Niche but Respected<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2010%E2%80%932018_Seeds_of_the_Digital_Shift\" title=\"2010\u20132018: Seeds of the Digital Shift\">2010\u20132018: Seeds of the Digital Shift<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2020%E2%80%932021_Chess_Goes_Viral_Pandemic_Pivot\" title=\"2020\u20132021: Chess Goes Viral (Pandemic Pivot)\">2020\u20132021: Chess Goes Viral (Pandemic Pivot)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2022%E2%80%932023_India%E2%80%99s_%E2%80%9CQueen%E2%80%99s_Gambit%E2%80%9D_Moment\" title=\"2022\u20132023: India\u2019s \u201cQueen\u2019s Gambit\u201d Moment\">2022\u20132023: India\u2019s \u201cQueen\u2019s Gambit\u201d Moment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#2024_Chess_as_Lifestyle_Digital_Content\" title=\"2024: Chess as Lifestyle &amp; Digital Content\">2024: Chess as Lifestyle &amp; Digital Content<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8C%8D_Global_Success_Local_Surge_When_Medals_Trigger_Markets\" title=\"\ud83c\udf0d Global Success, Local Surge: When Medals Trigger Markets\">\ud83c\udf0d Global Success, Local Surge: When Medals Trigger Markets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8C%9F_India%E2%80%99s_New_Sports_Icons_Non-Cricket_Stars_Shaping_Brand_Narratives\" title=\"\ud83c\udf1f India\u2019s New Sports Icons: Non-Cricket Stars Shaping Brand Narratives\">\ud83c\udf1f India\u2019s New Sports Icons: Non-Cricket Stars Shaping Brand Narratives<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8F%83%E2%80%8D%E2%99%82%EF%B8%8F_Neeraj_Chopra_Athletics_%E2%80%93_Javelin_Throw\" title=\"\ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Neeraj Chopra (Athletics \u2013 Javelin Throw)\">\ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Neeraj Chopra (Athletics \u2013 Javelin Throw)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8F%B8_PV_Sindhu_Badminton\" title=\"\ud83c\udff8 PV Sindhu (Badminton)\">\ud83c\udff8 PV Sindhu (Badminton)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%A7%A0_R_Praggnanandhaa_Chess\" title=\"\ud83e\udde0 R Praggnanandhaa (Chess)\">\ud83e\udde0 R Praggnanandhaa (Chess)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8F%8B%EF%B8%8F_Mirabai_Chanu_Weightlifting\" title=\"\ud83c\udfcb\ufe0f Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)\">\ud83c\udfcb\ufe0f Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8F%B8_Satwiksairaj_Rankireddy_Chirag_Shetty_Badminton_%E2%80%93_Men%E2%80%99s_Doubles\" title=\"\ud83c\udff8 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy &amp; Chirag Shetty (Badminton \u2013 Men\u2019s Doubles)\">\ud83c\udff8 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy &amp; Chirag Shetty (Badminton \u2013 Men\u2019s Doubles)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%A4%BC_Bajrang_Punia_Vinesh_Phogat_Wrestling\" title=\"\ud83e\udd3c Bajrang Punia &amp; Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling)\">\ud83e\udd3c Bajrang Punia &amp; Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%8F%91_Savita_Punia_Harmanpreet_Singh_Hockey\" title=\"\ud83c\udfd1 Savita Punia &amp; Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)\">\ud83c\udfd1 Savita Punia &amp; Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%A7%A9_What_This_Means_for_Brands\" title=\"\ud83e\udde9 What This Means for Brands\">\ud83e\udde9 What This Means for Brands<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%94%93_Emerging_Sports_Built-In_Brand_Segmentation\" title=\"\ud83d\udd13 Emerging Sports = Built-In Brand Segmentation\">\ud83d\udd13 Emerging Sports = Built-In Brand Segmentation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%F0%9F%93%A3_Final_Whistle_Brands_Your_Time_is_Now\" title=\"\ud83d\udce3 Final Whistle: Brands, Your Time is Now\">\ud83d\udce3 Final Whistle: Brands, Your Time is Now<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#%E2%9C%85_Bonus_Let_The_Media_Ant_Help_You_Win\" title=\"\u2705 Bonus: Let The Media Ant Help You Win\">\u2705 Bonus: Let The Media Ant Help You Win<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/emerging-sports-in-india-marketing-opportunity\/#References_Sources\" title=\"References &amp; Sources\">References &amp; Sources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8E%AF_The_Top_5_Emerging_Sports_Brands_Can%E2%80%99t_Afford_to_Ignore\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udfaf The Top 5 Emerging Sports Brands Can\u2019t Afford to Ignore<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>India&#8217;s sporting culture is in flux, and while cricket remains king, these five sports are not just knocking on the door\u2014they&#8217;re rewriting the rulebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-16.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Advertise in Kabaddi Events\" class=\"wp-image-38926\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-16.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-16.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-16.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-16.jpg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-16.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kabaddi_in_India_A_Timeline_of_Its_Rise_to_Prime_Time\"><\/span><strong>Kabaddi in India: A Timeline of Its Rise to Prime Time<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Period<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Milestone\/Event<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Impact<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand\/Campaign Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pre-2010<\/td><td>Rural, traditional sport played on clay courts<\/td><td>Community pride; largely rural; minimal broadcast<\/td><td>Local tournaments, Doordarshan coverage<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2010\u20132013<\/td><td>Asian Games dominance; format tweaks<\/td><td>Brief media attention; rules modernized for TV<\/td><td>National tournaments<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2014<\/td><td>Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) launches with Star India, Mashal Sports<\/td><td>435M+ viewership in first season; city-based franchises, multilingual TV broadcasts<\/td><td>Star Sports, Mashal Sports<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2015\u20132018<\/td><td>PKL franchise &amp; fan base growth<\/td><td>Rapid sponsor entry, surge in female &amp; urban viewers<\/td><td>Patanjali, Amul, Vivo, Airtel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2019\u20132021<\/td><td>OTT expansion; COVID pause; scan-to-win activations<\/td><td>Mobile-first audiences, regional and fintech brand integrations<\/td><td>BharatPe, Disney+ Hotstar<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2022\u20132024<\/td><td>350M+ viewers; PKL as marketing mainstay<\/td><td>Local heroes as influencers, regular national and regional brand campaigns<\/td><td>BharatPe, Amul, ShareChat<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-2010_Traditional_Roots\"><\/span><strong>Pre-2010: Traditional Roots<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ancient Sport:<\/strong> Kabaddi has origins tracing back over 4,000 years in rural India, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grassroots Popularity:<\/strong> Played on clay courts, kabaddi thrived at school and village level, with local tournaments and community pride.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Doordarshan Broadcasts:<\/strong> Occasional national coverage, but no commercial spotlight; largely a rural phenomenon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2010%E2%80%932013_Early_Modernization\"><\/span><strong>2010\u20132013: Early Modernization<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>National Leagues:<\/strong> The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) formalizes tournaments, but viewership remains small and regionally locked.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Asian Games Recognition:<\/strong> India\u2019s dominance in kabaddi at the Asian Games brings brief media attention, but not mainstream adoption.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Format Tweaks:<\/strong> Early experiments with time limits and team uniforms signal a shift toward TV-friendly kabaddi.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2014_Pro_Kabaddi_League_PKL_Launch%E2%80%94The_Gamechanger\"><\/span><strong>2014: Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Launch\u2014The Gamechanger<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Star India, Mashal Sports &amp; Anand Mahindra<\/strong> launch the <strong>Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)<\/strong>.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Franchise Model:<\/strong> Inspired by the IPL, PKL introduces city-based teams, professionalizes the sport, and invests in marketing.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prime Time TV:<\/strong> Matches air on Star Sports in Hindi, English, and multiple regional languages, democratizing access.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Immediate Impact:<\/strong> Over <strong>435 million<\/strong> cumulative TV viewers in its inaugural season\u2014second only to IPL (Source: Star Sports\/GroupM ESP).<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2015%E2%80%932018_Rapid_Growth_and_Brand_Entry\"><\/span><strong>2015\u20132018: Rapid Growth and Brand Entry<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Doubling Down:<\/strong> Number of franchises, matches, and sponsors grow rapidly.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Rush:<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Patanjali<\/strong> and <strong>Amul<\/strong> begin on-ground and broadcast activations.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vivo<\/strong> and <strong>Airtel<\/strong> enter as major title and associate sponsors.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Female Viewership:<\/strong> PKL attracts an unexpected 43% female viewership by 2017, expanding the advertising pie.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rural-to-Urban Appeal:<\/strong> Urban viewers rise thanks to Star Sports\u2019 multilingual telecast and glitzy production.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2019%E2%80%932021_Digital_and_Regional_Boom\"><\/span><strong>2019\u20132021: Digital and Regional Boom<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>OTT Expansion:<\/strong> Live streaming on Disney+ Hotstar brings kabaddi to mobile-first, young, and regional audiences.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>COVID Pause:<\/strong> 2020 season is cancelled, but kabaddi bounces back with even more digital engagement.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Innovations:<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>BharatPe<\/strong> and fintech firms roll out QR-based, scan-to-win campaigns.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Amul<\/strong> leverages PKL for rural\/urban dairy product launches.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2022%E2%80%932024_A_National_Phenomenon\"><\/span><strong>2022\u20132024: A National Phenomenon<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Record Numbers:<\/strong> PKL 2023 crosses <strong>350 million<\/strong> viewers, with rising YouTube highlights and ShareChat discussions.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Player Stardom:<\/strong> Pardeep Narwal, Naveen Kumar, and Fazel Atrachali become household names.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Playbook:<\/strong> PKL is now a regular fixture for <strong>regional and national brands<\/strong>\u2014FMCG, fintech, edtech, and more.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community Engagement:<\/strong> Star Sports\u2019 school and college leagues, BharatPe\u2019s cashless village challenges, and Patanjali\u2019s wellness integrations deepen grassroot links.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_It_Works%E2%80%942024_Perspective\"><\/span><strong>Why It Works\u20142024 Perspective<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cost-Effective:<\/strong> PKL offers high GRP at a fraction of IPL\u2019s media rights.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deep Reach:<\/strong> Penetrates Tier 2\/3 and rural India more effectively than most sports.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Untapped Influencers:<\/strong> Local heroes with loyal followings; perfect for vernacular and regional campaigns.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>All-Family Appeal:<\/strong> From grandmothers to Gen Z, kabaddi cuts across age, gender, and region.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-17.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Advertise in football events\" class=\"wp-image-38934\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-17.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-17.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-17.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-17.jpg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-17.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Football_ISL_Timeline_of_the_Urban_Underdog\"><\/span><strong>Football (ISL): Timeline of the Urban Underdog<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Period<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Milestone\/Event<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Impact<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand\/Campaign Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pre-2010<\/td><td>Club legacy in select states, little national focus<\/td><td>High regional passion, low national sponsorship<\/td><td>Mohun Bagan, East Bengal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2010\u20132013<\/td><td>AIFF-IMG Reliance announce franchise league<\/td><td>Plans for pro league, growing youth interest<\/td><td>AIFF, Reliance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2014<\/td><td>ISL launches, celebrity owners, Hero MotoCorp partners<\/td><td>70M+ viewership, national media attention<\/td><td>Hero MotoCorp, Star Sports<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2015\u20132018<\/td><td>Apollo Tyres grassroots, youth engagement<\/td><td>Surging stadium turnout, TV audience crosses 100M<\/td><td>Apollo Tyres, Kerala Blasters<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2019\u20132021<\/td><td>Hotstar streaming, new youth icons<\/td><td>Digital audience, Gen Z engagement, urban sponsor surge<\/td><td>BYJU\u2019S, wearables, Sunil Chhetri<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2022\u20132024<\/td><td>232M viewership, expanded teams, social event culture<\/td><td>Major urban\/youth market, local influencer activations<\/td><td>Hero MotoCorp, Apollo Tyres, BYJU\u2019S<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-2010_Regional_Passion_National_Neglect\"><\/span><strong>Pre-2010: Regional Passion, National Neglect<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Club Culture:<\/strong> Traditional clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Dempo SC were famous in Kolkata and Goa but football struggled for national TV time.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FIFA World Cup Fandom:<\/strong> Every 4 years, WC matches light up cities like Kolkata, Kerala, and Goa, but no national pro league existed.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2010%E2%80%932013_Seeds_of_Change\"><\/span><strong>2010\u20132013: Seeds of Change<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>AIFF Initiatives:<\/strong> The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and IMG Reliance announce plans for a franchise league.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>International Exposure:<\/strong> Indian footballers start getting attention through SAFF, AFC Cups.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2014_The_Birth_of_ISL%E2%80%94A_Marketing_Gamechanger\"><\/span><strong>2014: The Birth of ISL\u2014A Marketing Gamechanger<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Launch of ISL:<\/strong> Indian Super League (ISL) launches with Star Sports, Reliance, and IMG. Eight franchise teams from major football hubs.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prime-Time TV:<\/strong> Star Sports airs matches nationwide in multiple languages.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Celebrity Owners:<\/strong> Sachin Tendulkar (Kerala), Ranbir Kapoor (Mumbai), Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata) add glamour and attention.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Entry:<\/strong> Hero MotoCorp comes on board as title sponsor from day one.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2015%E2%80%932018_Growth_and_Urban_Consolidation\"><\/span><strong>2015\u20132018: Growth and Urban Consolidation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Surging Viewership:<\/strong> ISL crosses 100M TV viewers by 2017 (Source: Star Sports).<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grassroots Clinics:<\/strong> Apollo Tyres launches youth programs in Kerala and Goa.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stadium Buzz:<\/strong> Kerala Blasters, ATK Mohun Bagan, and NorthEast United draw packed urban stadiums.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2019%E2%80%932021_Young_Digital_Loyal\"><\/span><strong>2019\u20132021: Young, Digital, Loyal<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Digital First:<\/strong> Live streaming on Hotstar expands reach to mobile youth.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urban Millennials:<\/strong> Education tech, sports brands, and wearables invest in youth-centric sponsorship.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Player Icons:<\/strong> Sunil Chhetri and Sahal Abdul Samad become youth icons, fronting ad campaigns.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2022%E2%80%932024_National_League_Local_Love\"><\/span><strong>2022\u20132024: National League, Local Love<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Record Viewership:<\/strong> ISL 2023 records 232 million viewers.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expanded Teams:<\/strong> Clubs in new cities, more grassroots tournaments.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Playbook:<\/strong> Hero MotoCorp stays title sponsor; Apollo Tyres, BYJU\u2019S, and others run major youth programs.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cultural Integration:<\/strong> ISL matches now social events\u2014watch parties, influencer collabs, local music and food festivals.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Football\u2019s ISL connects urban and young India, with a ready-made culture of celebration, peer influence, and mass engagement\u2014ideal for brands looking to build youth relevance, community, and authentic regional impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-18.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Advertise in badminton events\" class=\"wp-image-38935\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-18.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-18.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-18.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-18.jpg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-18.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8F%B8_Badminton_Timeline_of_Growth_in_India\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udff8 Badminton: Timeline of Growth in India<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Period<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Milestone\/Event<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Impact<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand\/Campaign Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pre-2010<\/td><td>Clubs &amp; schools, Padukone, Gopichand<\/td><td>Popular, but limited media\/brand focus<\/td><td>State events, local gear brands<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2010\u20132014<\/td><td>Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu early wins<\/td><td>Start of women\u2019s stardom; national attention<\/td><td>Saina Nehwal for Yonex<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2015\u20132017<\/td><td>Sindhu Olympic silver, PBL launch<\/td><td>Viewership spikes, first major TV league<\/td><td>Bridgestone, Star Sports, PBL<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2018\u20132021<\/td><td>Sindhu World Gold, 120M+ Olympic viewers<\/td><td>Urban, women, and fitness brands enter space<\/td><td>Stayfree, Bridgestone, Yonex<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2022\u20132024<\/td><td>Satwik-Chirag, Lakshya Sen rise; social influence<\/td><td>Gen Z appeal, influencer marketing, brand alignment<\/td><td>Fast&amp;Up, Zivame, digital fitness apps<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-2010_Hidden_Gem_Status\"><\/span><strong>Pre-2010: Hidden Gem Status<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Local Clubs &amp; Schools:<\/strong> Badminton was a popular recreational sport, but lacked global icons and mass media coverage.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Early Heroes:<\/strong> Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand\u2014respected, but niche appeal.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2010%E2%80%932014_The_International_Spark\"><\/span><strong>2010\u20132014: The International Spark<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Saina Nehwal Breakthrough:<\/strong> First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in badminton (2012 London Olympics).<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rise of PV Sindhu:<\/strong> Wins junior medals; media attention starts growing.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2015%E2%80%932017_Star_Power_National_Pride\"><\/span><strong>2015\u20132017: Star Power &amp; National Pride<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>PV Sindhu\u2019s Olympic Silver (2016):<\/strong> Huge spike in viewership and search trends; badminton becomes household conversation.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Satwiksairaj &amp; Chirag Shetty:<\/strong> Men\u2019s doubles breakthrough on the world stage.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Premier Badminton League (PBL):<\/strong> Launch of a franchise league on Star Sports, attracting new sponsors.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2018%E2%80%932021_Women-Led_Surge_and_Brand_Play\"><\/span><strong>2018\u20132021: Women-Led Surge and Brand Play<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>PV Sindhu\u2019s World Championship Gold (2019):<\/strong> Second Indian after Nehwal to reach global No. 1.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tokyo 2021:<\/strong> 120M+ Indians watch Sindhu, Satwik-Chirag, and Lakshya Sen compete at the Olympics.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Campaigns:<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bridgestone<\/strong>: \u201cChase Your Dream\u201d campaign with PV Sindhu, positioning her as an aspirational icon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stayfree<\/strong>: Digital-first series focusing on female athletes, breaking taboos around sports and wellness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Yonex<\/strong>: Leading sponsor for national champions and grassroots events.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2022%E2%80%932024_Aspirational_Urban_Wellness-Driven\"><\/span><strong>2022\u20132024: Aspirational, Urban, &amp; Wellness-Driven<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rise of Satwik-Chirag<\/strong>: First Indian men\u2019s doubles pair to reach world No. 1.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lakshya Sen<\/strong>: Emerges as a Gen Z icon, known for his aggressive play and digital presence.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social Media Influence:<\/strong> Badminton reels, fitness tips, and influencer collabs.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Continued Brand Interest:<\/strong> FMCG, sportswear, and health brands align with badminton\u2019s aspirational, gender-inclusive image.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Badminton combines India\u2019s hunger for global wins, gender-inclusive fandom, and a natural fit for wellness, FMCG, and lifestyle brands\u2014making it the rising darling of urban marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"740\" height=\"1110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1.jpeg?resize=740%2C1110&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38939\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1.jpeg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1.jpeg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1.jpeg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8E%AF_Athletics_Timeline%E2%80%94From_National_Hope_to_Brand_Goldmine\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udfaf Athletics: Timeline\u2014From National Hope to Brand Goldmine<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Period<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Milestone\/Event<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Impact<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand\/Campaign Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pre-2010<\/td><td>Local sports days, icons like Milkha\/PT Usha<\/td><td>Limited visibility, niche brand presence<\/td><td>School sports, Bournvita Quiz<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2010\u20132015<\/td><td>Asian\/CWG medals, JSW\/OGQ investments<\/td><td>Athlete support, slow rise in media\/brand focus<\/td><td>JSW Sports, OGQ<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2016\u20132021<\/td><td>Neeraj Chopra global wins, Asian Games medals<\/td><td>Rising fan following, new brand interest<\/td><td>JSW Sports, fitness apps<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2021\u20132022<\/td><td>Tokyo gold for Neeraj, mass social celebration<\/td><td>Puma collab, national hero status, brand rush<\/td><td>Puma, Gatorade, Edelweiss<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2023\u20132024<\/td><td>Sable\u2019s records, Olympic build-up, fitness narratives<\/td><td>Insurance, health, fitness brands join in<\/td><td>JSW Sports, Tata AIA, Fast&amp;Up<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-2010_The_Silent_Track\"><\/span><strong>Pre-2010: The Silent Track<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Local Sports Days:<\/strong> Athletics limited to school\/college events, with rare TV coverage.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Early Icons:<\/strong> Milkha Singh, PT Usha inspire, but lack mainstream brand presence.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2010%E2%80%932015_Slow_and_Steady_Growth\"><\/span><strong>2010\u20132015: Slow and Steady Growth<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Asian &amp; Commonwealth Games:<\/strong> India wins medals, but stories fade quickly after events.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Foundation Laid:<\/strong> Organizations like JSW Sports and OGQ begin investing in athlete development.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2016%E2%80%932021_The_Spark_of_Global_Success\"><\/span><strong>2016\u20132021: The Spark of Global Success<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Neeraj Chopra:<\/strong> Breaks through with U20 World Gold (2016) and Commonwealth medals.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2018 Asian Games:<\/strong> Avinash Sable, Hima Das, Dutee Chand join the medal tally.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increased Media Focus:<\/strong> Social media amplifies athlete stories; Instagram, Twitter fan followings grow.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2021%E2%80%932022_Olympic_Breakthrough_Brand_Stampede\"><\/span><strong>2021\u20132022: Olympic Breakthrough, Brand Stampede<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tokyo 2021:<\/strong> Neeraj Chopra wins India\u2019s first-ever Olympic gold in track &amp; field.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Euphoria:<\/strong> \u201cJavelin\u201d spikes 5x in Google Trends. 10+ brands race to sign Neeraj.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Puma:<\/strong> Rolls out sneaker collaborations, national campaigns; Neeraj becomes a fitness and style icon.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>JSW Sports:<\/strong> Elevates athletes as storytellers, not just sportspeople, using video content and digital campaigns.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2023%E2%80%932024_From_Podium_to_Pop_Culture\"><\/span><strong>2023\u20132024: From Podium to Pop Culture<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Avinash Sable:<\/strong> Becomes first Indian to break major steeplechase records at Worlds &amp; CWG.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brands Seek \u201cPurpose\u201d<\/strong>: Insurance, health tech, sportswear, and nutrition brands link up with athletes for campaigns that focus on resilience, aspiration, and fitness.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Olympic Road to Paris:<\/strong> Build-up for Paris 2024; brands invest in \u201cFollow the Journey\u201d influencer-led content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Athletics is emotional and universal. From rural tracks to global podiums, it inspires resilience and ambition, making it a natural fit for brands that want to celebrate \u201cthe journey,\u201d not just \u201cthe win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-20.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"advertise in chess events\" class=\"wp-image-38936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-20.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-20.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-20.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-20.jpg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Untitled-design-20.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%A7%A0_Chess_Timeline%E2%80%94From_Board_Games_to_Broadcast_Stardom\"><\/span><strong>\ud83e\udde0 Chess: Timeline\u2014From Board Games to Broadcast Stardom<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Period<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Milestone\/Event<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Impact<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand\/Campaign Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pre-2010<\/td><td>Anand era, school chess, niche fanbase<\/td><td>Intellectual respect, limited sponsorship<\/td><td>Academic brands, local chess clubs<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2010\u20132018<\/td><td>Online chess, junior GMs rise<\/td><td>Youth audience, digital learning communities<\/td><td>ChessBase India, Lichess<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2020\u20132021<\/td><td>Pandemic YouTube\/Twitch boom, Indian streamers<\/td><td>Viral UGC, coding brands enter, EdTech tie-ins<\/td><td>Samay Raina, Chess.com India<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2022\u20132023<\/td><td>Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh headline global events<\/td><td>70M+ views, mainstream digital attention<\/td><td>Red Bull, Akshayakalpa, TechM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2024<\/td><td>Chess leagues, OTT, EdTech\/fintech campaigns<\/td><td>Chess = cool; perfect for digital, smart audiences<\/td><td>BYJU\u2019S, WhiteHat Jr, fintech apps<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-2010_Niche_but_Respected\"><\/span><strong>Pre-2010: Niche but Respected<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Vishy Anand Era:<\/strong> Viswanathan Anand wins multiple World Championships; chess gains academic respect, but mass fandom is limited.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>School Tournaments:<\/strong> Chess seen as a \u201cbrainy\u201d extracurricular; select states (Tamil Nadu, West Bengal) produce future grandmasters.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Brand Play:<\/strong> Local chess boards and academic institutions support tournaments; minimal mass-market interest.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2010%E2%80%932018_Seeds_of_the_Digital_Shift\"><\/span><strong>2010\u20132018: Seeds of the Digital Shift<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Online Platforms Grow:<\/strong> Lichess, Chess.com, and YouTube chess channels attract India\u2019s young, tech-savvy learners.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Junior GMs:<\/strong> Teens like Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, and Gukesh D make international headlines, drawing in a new, younger fan base.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2020%E2%80%932021_Chess_Goes_Viral_Pandemic_Pivot\"><\/span><strong>2020\u20132021: Chess Goes Viral (Pandemic Pivot)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lockdown Streaming Boom:<\/strong> Chess explodes on YouTube and Twitch\u2014Indian creators (Samay Raina, Sagar Shah) host live watchalongs and tutorials.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Global Engagement:<\/strong> Record Indian participation in online tournaments; \u201cChessBase India\u201d becomes a top digital property.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sponsorship Starts:<\/strong> EdTech and coding companies begin sponsoring chess events and content.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2022%E2%80%932023_India%E2%80%99s_%E2%80%9CQueen%E2%80%99s_Gambit%E2%80%9D_Moment\"><\/span><strong>2022\u20132023: India\u2019s \u201cQueen\u2019s Gambit\u201d Moment<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Praggnanandhaa &amp; Gukesh Rise:<\/strong> Grandmaster wins in global events; #Chess trends on Indian Twitter.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Praggnanandhaa\u2019s World Cup Run (2023):<\/strong> Over <strong>70M organic views<\/strong> on YouTube and Chess.com India; chess breaks out of niche status.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Campaigns:<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Red Bull:<\/strong> \u201cCheckmate Your Way\u201d content with prodigies, streaming partnerships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Akshayakalpa Organic:<\/strong> Nutrition partner for Indian Chess League.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tech Mahindra:<\/strong> \u201cGlobal Chess League\u201d\u2014chess meets tech, STEM and innovation campaigns.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2024_Chess_as_Lifestyle_Digital_Content\"><\/span><strong>2024: Chess as Lifestyle &amp; Digital Content<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>League Era:<\/strong> Indian Chess League and Global Chess League get mainstream OTT slots, influencer tie-ins.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Playbook:<\/strong> EdTech (WhiteHat Jr, BYJU\u2019S FutureSchool), fintech, and health food brands use chess influencers in UGC and digital campaigns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fan Commerce:<\/strong> Chess-themed merch, books, and online courses surge.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Chess delivers hyper-engaged, urban, digitally-native fans\u2014making it perfect for smart learning, SaaS, finance, and health\/wellness brands that want to reach India\u2019s next generation of leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"740\" height=\"1110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-2.jpeg?resize=740%2C1110&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38940\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-2.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-2.jpeg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-2.jpeg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-2.jpeg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-2.jpeg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8C%8D_Global_Success_Local_Surge_When_Medals_Trigger_Markets\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udf0d Global Success, Local Surge: When Medals Trigger Markets<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>India\u2019s performance on the world stage is doing something cricket never needed to\u2014<em>building new sports from scratch.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how global performance has translated into national market momentum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>\ud83e\udd47 <strong>Neeraj Chopra\u2019s Olympic gold<\/strong> in 2021 increased Google searches for \u201cjavelin throw\u201d by <strong>5x<\/strong>. Today, he\u2019s one of Puma\u2019s top influencers and the face of a $10M+ marketing funnel.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\ud83c\udff8 <strong>PV Sindhu\u2019s Olympic wins<\/strong> led to over <strong>50M views<\/strong> across branded YouTube content and pushed Stayfree, Bridgestone, and Boost into women\u2019s sports conversations.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\ud83e\udde0 <strong>Praggnanandhaa\u2019s Chess World Cup run<\/strong> hit over <strong>70M YouTube views<\/strong>, driving India\u2019s subscription boom on chess apps like Lichess, Chess.com, and even Chessable.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Moral of the story<\/strong>: If India shines globally, local markets don\u2019t just notice\u2014they <em>rally<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"740\" height=\"1110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image.jpeg?resize=740%2C1110&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38938\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image.jpeg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image.jpeg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image.jpeg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image.jpeg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image.jpeg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" title=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8C%9F_India%E2%80%99s_New_Sports_Icons_Non-Cricket_Stars_Shaping_Brand_Narratives\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udf1f India\u2019s New Sports Icons: Non-Cricket Stars Shaping Brand Narratives<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cricket has always produced celebrity endorsers\u2014but in the last five years, India\u2019s most dynamic brand stories have come from track, mat, court, and even the chessboard. These athletes combine international success, digital presence, and personal authenticity to drive powerful audience engagement. Here\u2019s a look at the new stars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8F%83%E2%80%8D%E2%99%82%EF%B8%8F_Neeraj_Chopra_Athletics_%E2%80%93_Javelin_Throw\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Neeraj Chopra (Athletics \u2013 Javelin Throw)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Him:<\/strong> First Indian track &amp; field Olympic gold medalist. Symbolizes discipline, ambition, and national pride.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Puma:<\/strong> Multi-crore deal, sneaker launches, influencer campaigns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>JSW Sports:<\/strong> Long-term sponsorship, social storytelling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CRED, Tata AIA Life, Amul:<\/strong> TV + digital + influencer-led campaigns<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Puma\u2019s #HarDilMeinNeeraj campaign<\/strong> during Olympics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tata AIA\u2019s \u201cRakshakaran Heroes\u201d fitness initiative<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8F%B8_PV_Sindhu_Badminton\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udff8 PV Sindhu (Badminton)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Her:<\/strong> Consistent Olympic and World Championship medalist, youth icon, advocate for women in sports.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bridgestone, Bank of Baroda, JBL, Stayfree, Gatorade, Panasonic<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Stayfree\u2019s \u201cIt\u2019s Just a Period\u201d series breaking taboos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>JBL\u2019s digital audio experiences with Sindhu as the voice of fitness<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%A7%A0_R_Praggnanandhaa_Chess\"><\/span><strong>\ud83e\udde0 R Praggnanandhaa (Chess)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Him:<\/strong> Youngest Indian to reach the Chess World Cup finals, massive Gen Z appeal, 70M+ digital reach in 2023.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Red Bull, Akshayakalpa Organic, Chess.com India<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Red Bull\u2019s \u201cCheckmate Your Way\u201d content collab<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Akshayakalpa\u2019s nutrition partner spot during Chess League<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8F%8B%EF%B8%8F_Mirabai_Chanu_Weightlifting\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udfcb\ufe0f Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Her:<\/strong> Olympic silver medalist, trailblazer for women\u2019s sports, strong presence in Northeast India.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>INOX Group, Adidas, Amway, JSW Group<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Adidas\u2019 \u201cImpossible Is Nothing\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>INOX Group\u2019s \u201cChampion of Champions\u201d brand ambassador program<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8F%B8_Satwiksairaj_Rankireddy_Chirag_Shetty_Badminton_%E2%80%93_Men%E2%80%99s_Doubles\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udff8 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy &amp; Chirag Shetty (Badminton \u2013 Men\u2019s Doubles)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Them:<\/strong> World No. 1 pair, poster boys for Gen Z\u2019s team spirit, social media savvy.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Yonex, Fast&amp;Up, Red Bull, Zivame Active<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Fast&amp;Up\u2019s performance nutrition reels and Instagram takeovers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yonex influencer-driven gear launches<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%A4%BC_Bajrang_Punia_Vinesh_Phogat_Wrestling\"><\/span><strong>\ud83e\udd3c Bajrang Punia &amp; Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Them:<\/strong> Olympics, CWG, and World Championship medalists; strong rural and Tier 2\u20133 following.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>JSW Sports, Tata Motors, Herbalife, Amul<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Herbalife\u2019s fitness influencer videos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amul\u2019s \u201cChampion\u2019s Milk\u201d with regional focus<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8F%91_Savita_Punia_Harmanpreet_Singh_Hockey\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udfd1 Savita Punia &amp; Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Brands Love Them:<\/strong> Captains of Olympic-medal-winning hockey teams, mass national pride, and grassroots reach.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Top Brand Associations:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hero MotoCorp, Tata Steel, Adidas, Amul<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recent Campaigns:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Hero MotoCorp\u2019s \u201cDesh Ke Dil Se\u201d campaign<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tata Steel\u2019s grassroots and CSR-led programs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%A7%A9_What_This_Means_for_Brands\"><\/span><strong>\ud83e\udde9 What This Means for Brands<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This shift isn\u2019t just about new sports\u2014it\u2019s about <strong>new consumers<\/strong>, <strong>new platforms<\/strong>, and <strong>new content formats<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%94%93_Emerging_Sports_Built-In_Brand_Segmentation\"><\/span><strong>\ud83d\udd13 Emerging Sports = Built-In Brand Segmentation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Sport<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Audience Cohort<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand Fit<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Kabaddi<\/td><td>Rural Males, Tier 2\/3<\/td><td>FMCG, Fintech, Vernacular OTT<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Football<\/td><td>Urban Youth, Northeast, South<\/td><td>Fashion, Music, EdTech<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Badminton<\/td><td>Women, Fitness First Youth<\/td><td>Wellness, Activewear, Personal Care<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Athletics<\/td><td>Nationalist Gen Z + Urban Fit<\/td><td>Fitness Tech, Insurance, Footwear<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Chess<\/td><td>Digital Natives, STEM minds<\/td><td>EdTech, SaaS, Health Snacks<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%93%A3_Final_Whistle_Brands_Your_Time_is_Now\"><\/span><strong>\ud83d\udce3 Final Whistle: Brands, Your Time is Now<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cricket will always be here. But in the meantime, <strong>India\u2019s sports revolution has gone multiverse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You now have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>350M kabaddi fans watching regional heroes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>130M WPL fans cheering women who sport<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>500M+ gamers playing like pros<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>70M chess streamers strategizing like grandmasters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And a million future pickleball champions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>So why bet on just one pitch when the entire field is open?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%9C%85_Bonus_Let_The_Media_Ant_Help_You_Win\"><\/span><strong>\u2705 Bonus: Let The Media Ant Help You Win<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you want to advertise during a kabaddi derby, sponsor a chess stream, or create a wellness collab with a WPL athlete, <strong>The Media Ant<\/strong> is your plug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve got access to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>OTT + regional + influencer marketing across sports<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data-backed cohort targeting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>End-to-end campaign management<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83c\udfc1 <strong>Let\u2019s build your sports playbook.<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> Visit<a href=\"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\"> www.themediaant.com<\/a> today and start where the action actually is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"References_Sources\"><\/span><strong>References &amp; Sources<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>GroupM ESP Sporting Nation Report XII (2024)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Industry sponsorship, viewership, and campaign data for Kabaddi, Football, Badminton, and athlete endorsements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>https:\/\/www.groupm.com\/news\/sporting-nation-building-a-legacy-xii-report\/<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deloitte-Google Think Sports: Unlocking India\u2019s $130B Sports Potential (2024)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Sports audience size, digital penetration, and market projections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/in\/en\/pages\/consumer-business\/articles\/think-sports-unlocking-indias-usd130b-sports-potential.html<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Havas Play \u2013 Emerging Sports: India\u2019s Next Billion-Dollar Sports Marketing Opportunity (2024)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Detailed profiles on emerging sports, new-age brand campaigns, and fan cohort analysis.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ISL Official Reports &amp; Star Sports Press Releases (2014\u20132024)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Viewership figures, sponsorships, and grassroots program details.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>https:\/\/www.indiansuperleague.com\/press-releases<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>YouGov Cricket &amp; Sports Fandom Report (2025)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Gender splits, regional breakdown, and digital fandom trends.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>https:\/\/business.yougov.com\/content\/48014-cricket-viewership-india-2025<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Olympic &amp; Asian Games Data (2021\u20132024)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Medal tallies, athlete highlights, and subsequent search\/viewership spikes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>https:\/\/olympics.com\/en\/news\/india-tokyo-olympics-athletes-performance<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Puma, Amul, JSW, Hero MotoCorp, Red Bull, Tata AIA, Apollo Tyres, Bridgestone, Stayfree, Akshayakalpa, Tech Mahindra, and other brand campaign press releases<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Official brand and agency PR announcements, 2021\u20132024.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chess.com India, ChessBase India, and YouTube Analytics<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Streaming\/viewership for Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and chess league events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>https:\/\/www.chess.com\/events<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ChessBaseIndia\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ChessBaseIndia<br><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Business &amp; Financial News Outlets (Economic Times, Financial Express, Livemint, Moneycontrol, Forbes India, etc.)<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Brand partnerships, industry news, and athlete endorsement deals.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover how emerging sports in India are revolutionizing the marketing landscape beyond cricket. Explore key growth stories, leading athletes, successful brand campaigns, and why brands can\u2019t afford to ignore the unstoppable rise of emerging sports in India. Unlock new audiences and opportunities with real examples, data, and expert insights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":38937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3218,3219,3594],"tags":[882,1662,3603,3259],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/feature-image-5.jpg?fit=740%2C549&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38925"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38925"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38925\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38941,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38925\/revisions\/38941"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themediaant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}