Star Sports is betting big on esports. The network acquired the broadcasting rights for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2024 in July. They are broadcasting the eight-week tournament on linear TV and YouTube with English and Hindi commentary. Additionally, Star Sports is airing the BGMI Masters Series (BGMS) Season 3, which began on July 19 and continues until mid-August.
The move is part of the broadcaster's strategy to diversify its sports portfolio and tap into the growing esports market.
The decision to invest in esports comes as no surprise, considering the growth of the sector in India. According to IMARC, the Indian Esports market is projected to reach a staggering US$919 million by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 18.42% during 2024-2032.
In a recent conversation with e4m, Sanjog Gupta, Head of Sports, Disney Star, delved deeper into the network's esports strategy, the evolving advertiser landscape, and the broader vision for the future.
Edited excerpts:
Star Sports has been the leader in broadcasting cricket in India. How has the network successfully balanced its cricket-centric legacy with its ambitious plans to expand into other sports?
When we started our journey to build India's leading sports network, our goal was to transform India's single-sport landscape to a robust multi-sport ecosystem. Since 2013, we've invested in leagues for hockey, kabaddi, badminton, tennis, and more, aiming to cultivate a sports culture, which is a confluence of large-scale fandom and significant niches. We believed this would not only be good for the nation but also make for 'good business' in the long-term. A single sport, even cricket, offers limited days of engagement for fans or customers. To expand engagement and the customer base, we needed to re-define the category with other sports attracting audiences at scale and gaining deep affiliation.
How has the rapid growth and mainstreaming of gaming in India influenced Star Sports' decision to invest in esports?
On the demand side, gaming has become a daily activity for over a 100 million people in India, moving from being an area of niche interest to a wider culture. The pyramid of participation from hobbyists to professionals has emerged. Today, professional gaming is also being acknowledged as "sport", requiring high skill and competitive intensity.
Recognising this shift in the cultural landscape, we invested in eSports, starting with the Battleground Mobile India Masters in partnership with Nordwin. Our goal was to create a marquee competition for the best Indian gamers, elevate the standard of presentation to match other marquee events, and attract new audiences to Star Sports.
How does the demographic of esports fans align with Star Sports' target audience?
We knew that young viewers, those aged 15-24 form one of the most significant cohorts of TV audiences. This demographic overlaps with the primary demographic for gaming hobbyists. Thus, we believed in the potential to serve these gamers (casual and core) on Star Sports by providing a world class viewing competitive experience in an area of their interest. This approach was validated in the first season itself when viewers who hadn't watched Star Sports for six months prior to the event tuned in for the event. Our belief was that new viewers, primarily in the 15-24 TG, with deep interest in the product, would attract advertisers keen on building their association with a world-class event catering to a demographic of interest with deep engagement on the Star Sports network.
Has the evolution of advertiser interest in esports mirrored the growth of the esports industry itself?
Initially, advertiser interest was tepid, but as the competition gained traction and esports started gaining mainstream attention, we saw a broader range of brands, including auto companies, consumer electronics and digital services recognising the value in reaching young, digitally-savvy audiences.
For BGMS Season 3 for instance sponsors include the likes of Android (title sponsor), Garnier Men, TVS Raider, Philips, and Crunchyroll.
How does Star Sports plan to capitalise on the continued growth of esports?
As esports continues to grow, we aim to explore new monetisation opportunities and evolve our commercial models to better serve both our audiences and advertisers.
Our commitment to bringing non-mainstream sports to the forefront remains strong, and we continue to seek opportunities to build new sports and further diversify India's sporting culture.
