Endorsements and on-ground advertising and promotions have been key to sports sponsorship ecosystem in 2018, even as media spending grew at a slower pace in a year that did not have a major international cricket tournament and a slack domestic calendar. According to GroupM ESP Properties’ Sporting Nation in the Making–VI that was released today, the business of sports saw a growth of 12 per cent in 2018, if the numbers are adjusted for the IPL franchise fees. With the IPL completing 10 years in 2017, the franchise fee, amounting to approximately Rs 291 crore ceased to be valid in