Digital content is bringing in new fans, with 1 in 2 people starting to follow a sport after seeing it online as per Deloitte. Technology makes fan engagement easier in ways that traditional media can’t, making sports more social, fun, and personalised.
How big is India’s sports industry?
India’s sports economy is currently valued at $52 billion and is projected to grow at a 14% CAGR, reaching $130 billion by 2030 as per Deloitte estimates. That’s almost double the speed of India’s GDP growth.
Sports in comparison to other industries
Sports now outpaces established industries like telecom in size and is fast approaching the scale of sectors like automotive and tourism. The sector is set to grow faster than industries like automotive and tourism. The turning point came nearly 15 years ago when the Indian Premier League (IPL) made sports a part of everyday entertainment.
How has India stacked up against the global sports economy?
India’s sports economy is already making waves globally, with a market size of $31 billion—larger than Australia ($10–12 billion) and Brazil ($6–8 billion), and not far behind the UK ($45–50 billion). In terms of contribution to GDP, sports adds 0.9% to India’s economy, ahead of countries like the US (0.7%) and Australia (0.6%), though still behind the UK (1.4%).