Commonwealth Games: Brands cheer as spotlight turns to non-cricket stars

Reliance, JSW, and Adani are among a growing list of names backing the contingent at Birmingham; some sponsorships will extend into Asian Games and Paris Olympics 2024

Jeremy Lalrinnunga, Achinta Sheuli, and  Sanket Sargar were unknown names until a few days ago. The ongoing Commonwealth Games, however, has changed that. Sargar was the first Indian to win a medal in Birmingham. Lalrinnunga was the first Indian man to clinch a gold at the Commonwealth Games and Sheuli became the second person to do so.

Along with Mirabai Chanu’s gold at the ongoing games, India has a total of nine medals so far. The tally continues to grow as Indian sportspeople keep medal hopes alive. The success of Indian athletes at the event has turned the attention of all to non-cricket sports. And, brands are no exception.

Reliance, JSW, and Adani groups are among a growing list of names backing the athlete contingent at Birmingham. Some of these sponsorships will extend into the Asian Games and Paris Olympics 2024, experts tracking the market said, as companies and brands support non-cricket sporting activities seriously.

Also Read: Commonwealth Games 2022 medal tally

A recent GroupM report on sports sponsorship in India says that emerging or non-cricket sporting activity contributed to 12 per cent of the overall sports advertising spends in 2021. Cricket stands at about 88 per cent of overall sports ad spends in the country. The  number for non-cricket sports has grown from around 8 per cent in the pre-pandemic period.

While cricket will still remain a key contributor to sports advertising expenditure (adex) in India, given its wide following and reach, non-cricket sports will increasingly grow their share in the years ahead, GroupM said.

In 2022 alone, non-cricket sports advertising spends are likely to touch 15 per cent of overall sports adex, sports marketing experts said, led by the Commonwealth Games. The Asian Games, earlier scheduled to be held in September, will happen next year, the Olympic Council of Asia said recently.

“Most of the athletes at the Commonwealth Games, including the ones who’ve won medals for India, have inspiring stories to tell. Corporates wanting to send out a larger message of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity would be keen to tap these athletes for their advertising campaigns,” N Chandramouli, chief executive officer at brand insights firm TRA Research, said.

Thums Up, for instance, has just rolled out a campaign that celebrates athletes who’ve overcome the odds to succeed in their respective sports. It includes Sourav Ganguly, former Indian national cricket team captain and current president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Avani Lekhara, the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, and Nikhat Zareen, a boxer and IBA Women’s World Boxing 2022 Gold medallist.

Reliance Industries has indicated that it will back athletes participating in major sporting events, including the Asian Games and Paris Olympics, as part of a long-term association with the Indian Olympic Association. It recently tied up with the Athletics Federation of India for the development of athletic sports in the country.

Nestlé and JSW’s Inspire Institute of Sports have collaborated to support infrastructure, coaching, and sports science in the country. As part of the initiative, the two have just launched a new ad campaign featuring javelin star Neeraj Chopra, along with athletes like high jumper Deva Karthick from Tamil Nadu and judo champ Olivia from Manipur.

“It is an encouraging sign that big corporates are stepping in to support non-cricket sports. The consumption of non-cricket sports over the last few years has grown, leading companies to put serious money, effort and commitment to back these disciplines,” Ajimon Francis, managing director, Brand Finance India, said. 

Adani Sportsline, for instance, has set out to discover and nurture sporting talent under its ‘Garv Hai’ initiative. The company was roped in as the principal sponsor of the Commonwealth contingent from India and will extend its support to athletes heading to the Asian Games next year and Paris Olympics 2024.

In a statement, the company said the effort was aimed at helping emerging sports stars.

Clearly, there are exciting times ahead for non-cricket sports and stars in the country.