Capri Sports and KPMG unveil report highlighting commercial boom in women’s sports in India

Capri Sports and KPMG launched a groundbreaking report on women’s sports in India, revealing sharp growth in viewership, brand investment, and digital engagement. With a projected valuation of $900 million by 2030, the report highlights a promising future for women athletes.

Hyderabad: Capri Sports and KPMG launched a unique report on women’s sports in India and it is developed in collaboration with KPMG Sports Advisory and is a first-of-its-kind deep dive into the commercial ecosystem of women’s sports in India, that covers viewership trends, brand partnerships, sponsorship data, and social impact.

This detailed work of research highlights the exponential growth of leagues like the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the increasing influence of women athletes on social media, and the evolving fanbase that is now as engaged, gender-agnostic, and loyal.

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The report shines the spotlight on various aspects of the women’s sporting ecosystem such as the Growth Drivers, the Spectators, the Social and Digital Impact and Footprint, the Strategic Investments, and finally, the Future Forecast, and recommendations for all Stakeholders involved in the ecosystem.

Some of the highlights of the report were WPL viewership up 150% in just one year, women athletes now attract $63 million in brand investments, female fans account for 44% of India’s gaming audience, social media conversations around women’s sports have grown 10x and projected commercial value by 2030: $900 million.

Sania Mirza, PV Sindhu, Atiqa Mir and Deepa Malik were present at the launch of the report and discussed the future of women’s sport in India at length at the select gathering in Mumbai.

Jinisha Sharma, Director, Capri Sports, said the report was deeply personal, for every young girl who dared to dream, and every woman who fought for a place on the field.

For her part, six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza said that it was the belief in female athletes that needed to go a long way.

“So, I wish there was one secret to it. There isn’t. But I definitely think the media, TV, a lot of corporate sponsors, people like us (former and current senior athletes) trying to put things together for the future of this country in different sports, and mentorship. I think that’s something that will make a difference,” she said.

The two-time Olympic Medallist PV Sindhu said that belief could move mountains. “As female athletes, we need to know that we can do anything and we can achieve everything. And I think we need to be proud of ourselves. I think we ourselves need to have that belief that we can achieve anything and we can go out there and be on the world map,” Sindhu said.

Kala Anand, Director, Sports Advisory, KPMG in India, said women sports was not just progressing, it was rewriting the rule book in terms of engagement, commerce, and culture.