Why India’s Sports Marketing Needs to Start from the Ground Up

Indian sports marketing has long thrived on big moments and bigger names. Every time an athlete shines at the IPL, World Cup, or Olympics, brands rush in with high profile endorsement deals. But Vinit Karnik, managing director of content, entertainment and sports at GroupM India, believes this strategy misses the most meaningful part of the journey   the grassroots.

Karnik is calling for a shift in the way brands approach sports. He argues that real champions are made long before the limelight, in local tournaments, school competitions, and regional leagues. He highlights young cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi as a case in point. At just 14, this talent from Bihar has made waves in the IPL, but his rise began on the grassroots stage, not the stadiums of global cricket.

Karnik wants brands to focus on where the story really starts. He encourages a bottom up strategy, supporting talent while they are still growing, not just once they have gone viral. It is not about adjusting budgets, it is about changing the entire perspective on what makes a sports campaign truly meaningful.

He explains that cricket already has a well defined structure from the local federations to national level tournaments like the Ranji and Deodhar Trophy. While these levels may not grab headlines, they are rich grounds for discovering future stars and creating authentic brand associations early in their journey.

Karnik believes India is no longer just a nation that watches sports. It is fast becoming a nation that plays. Over the past decade, India's sports economy has grown over three times and is now worth nearly two billion dollars. The annual Sporting Nation report by GroupM reveals that sponsorship has hit over sixteen thousand crores with healthy growth year after year.

This shift is not accidental. Access to international sports content has inspired new aspirations. Government programs like Khelo India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme have built infrastructure and opportunities for athletes at every level. The Sports Authority of India has helped enable this transformation by building a base that makes sports more accessible.

It is not just cricket driving this growth. Football, marathons, kabaddi and even emerging games like pickleball are now part of India’s sporting conversation. The Indian Super League has created a five hundred crore market in football alone. Running events are seeing a surge, reflecting the rising interest in endurance sports and fitness.

Karnik believes that advertising is the engine behind this boom. With a professional pickleball league now operating in India, even niche sports are finding platforms to grow. He says the youth, especially Gen Z, are the most responsive to this transformation. They are more active and open to new forms of sport than any previous generation.

Looking forward, Karnik is confident that sports in India will keep growing at double digit rates for the next ten years. The base is still developing, which means the potential is massive. With the announcement of India’s intent to host the 2036 Olympics, the entire sports ecosystem is set to enter a new era of ambition and investment.

He believes this is not just a moment for athletes, but for brands, marketers and advertisers to step up. The opportunity is not just in signing champions but in building them. For any brand serious about shaping culture and community, investing in grassroots sports might just be the smartest play of all.

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