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Home » Series » IPL » Women’s IPL Sponsors: Trends, Viewership & Brand Profile


WOMEN’S IPL SPONSORS: TRENDS, VIEWERSHIP & BRAND PROFILE

Posted on April 3, 2023April 4, 2023Author Shrobana Rakshit 0

Key Takeaways:

 * 6 startups sponsors in WPL 2023.
 * Fashion & Lifestyle is the most represented sector.
 * Mumbai Indians & Royal Challengers Bangalore with highest viewership.

The ad spends poured in WPL 2023 has been pretty modest as per IPL standards,
however it remains a significant context when it comes to women’s game and where
it stands today.

Even if we talk about the broader history of cricket on a global scale, women’s
cricket in India has often been associated with misogynistic attitudes and
social and institutional ‘other-isation’. Be it the pay gap between female and
male players or the mere comments made by common public or BCCI administrations
towards the women’s game. 

Women’s cricket governance was globally merged with its male counterparts in
2005, and the following year witnessed the subsequent merger of the Women’s
Cricket Association of India and the BCCI. But the progress of the game has
remained slow for a decade now. 

However, Indian women’s cricket has come a long way over the past few years,
with the team’s performances on the international stage improving drastically.
Not only that, the overall perception about our ‘women in blue’ has also
changed. From implementation of equal pay to using terms as batter instead of
batsman, are small steps in the right direction. 

Moreover, the long-awaited breaking of the glass ceiling in the part of women
cricketers has finally come to play as Women’s IPL takes a kickstart. One thing
we are sure about is that there’s a long way to go for the league to cement
itself. Hence, here we are doing a complete analysis of the advertiser’s profile
for the first ever season of WPL and how it is varying from the previous season
of IPL.

Table of Contents

    * Women’s Premier League 2023 Sponsors

 * 7 Major Trends from WPL 2023 Sponsors Profile
   * Did More Women Watch WPL 2023 as compared to IPL 2022?
   * Did The Mad Race For Sports Sponsorship Among Startups As Seen During IPL
     2023 Continued During WPL 2023?
   * Startups Sponsoring WPL 2023
   * Sports Has Always Been Considered A Man’s Territory. Did WPL 2023
     Sponsorship Pattern Prove This Wrong?
     * Women-Centric Brands Tapping Into WPL
   * Did FinTech and EdTech Categories Win the WPL Race Like IPL 2022?
     * Categories Advertising The Most
     * Categories Absent From The WPL Ad Landscape
     * Ed-Tech Brands Withdraw
     * Ban On Crypto & Gambling Apps
   * Which Team Got The Highest Number of Sponsors? (Team Value)
   * Which Sponsors Marked Their Debut In The Field Of IPL-WPL Sponsorship? (WPL
     First Brands)
   * Which Are The Brands That Continue To Bet Big On Cricket?
   * What’s Driving The Brands To Advertise?
 * Did Advertising in WPL 2023 Mean Women-centric Ads Too?
   * Shift In The Message
 * WPL- A Step In The Right Direction


WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE 2023 SPONSORS



List of Women’s Premier League 2023 Sponsors

SponsorshipBrandsIndustry SectorTitle SponsorTATA GroupConglomerateAssociate
SponsorNoiseLifestyleAssociate Media SponsorBank Of BarodaBanking &
FinanceCo-Powered SponsorHero VidaElectric VehicleOther Key SponsorsMPL
StrikerGamingH&MFashionJSW PaintsHome ImprovementWorld Gold CouncilResearchApar
IndustriesEngineeringOfficial Fantasy PartnerDream11GamingOfficial Strategic
Timeout PartnerCEAT TyresAutomobileMumbai IndiansPrincipal PartnersLotus
HerbalsBeauty & SkincareAshok LeylandAutomobileAssociate
PartnersDream11GamingSonata SoftwareSoftwareOfficial PartnersUshaHome
AppliancesMax Life InsuranceInsuranceNutrizoeFemale HealthReliance Foundation’s
Education & Sports for AllNGORoyal Challengers BangalorePrincipal
SponsorsKajaria CeramicsHome ImprovementKey SponsorsMia by
TanishqJewelleryDream11GamingVega BeautyBeauty & SkincareHimalayan Face
CareBeauty & SkincarePumaFashionDelhi CapitalsPrincipals SponsorsJSW PaintsHome
ImprovementOfficial PartnerYatra.comTravelAssociate PartnerGalaxy Basmati
RiceFMCGKey SponsorsSportsbuzz11GamingNavyasaFashionJoy Personal CareBeauty &
SkincareGujrat TitansTitle SponsorsAmbuja CementConstructionPrincipal
SponsorsSportsbuzz11GamingCristosFMCGKey SponsorsTATA CapitalBanking &
FinanceAdani GroupConglomerateFortuneFMCGGopal NamkeenFMCGOfficial
PartnersChitra OOH GujratAgencyRadio MirchiMediaUP WarriorzPrincipal
SponsorPatanjali Ayurveda LtdFMCGKey SponsorsFrench Essence PerfumeBeauty &
SkincareTransworldLogistics


7 MAJOR TRENDS FROM WPL 2023 SPONSORS PROFILE

Advertisers have already geared up for the Women’s Indian Premier League, and
brands like ITC, Parle that have already advertised during the men’s IPL before
are now exploring this new property in sports. 

The league took off in March this year, and the tournament is already seeing
interest from new brands that have never advertised during IPL before and
traditional advertisers as well. 

Vijayaraghvan, CoFounder & CEO FastandUp said, “Advertising during women’s IPL
will be a natural extension”. (Source: Print)

He also added that brands are getting one more opportunity through women’s IPL
to advertise in a cricket property. A lot of brands who did not have the budget
to advertise in IPL are now tapping into WPL due to cost-effective advertising
inventory. 

Also, this is the first ever women’s IPL that is being hosted and with women
cricketers getting recognition, brands are not missing the trend because women’s
cricket is showing a lot of potential now.  

In fact, a lot of brands are creating a separate narrative and messaging for
their ads exclusively for WPL. This is majorly to attract women consumers,
though as per BARC majority of viewers for WPL are men at 55%. However, it could
be the image of the tournament which is not just about sports but
revolutionising women in cricket. Therefore, brands too are tapping into the
story and making an attempt to show themselves as ‘woke’ and leave a mark. 


DID MORE WOMEN WATCH WPL 2023 AS COMPARED TO IPL 2022?

Source: BARC


DID THE MAD RACE FOR SPORTS SPONSORSHIP AMONG STARTUPS AS SEEN DURING IPL 2023
CONTINUED DURING WPL 2023?

The first-ever Women’s Premier League is seeing an overflow of brands, which
includes established brands as well as startups. For the league, 79.5% of
established brands and 20.5% of startups have signed up for sponsorship. 

For IPL 2022, 29 startups participated in the advertising wave, out of that 10
were unicorns, representing 35% of the participating startups. These unicorns
have a total valuation of $43.6 Bn, with Dream11 and Meesho leading the pack
with a valuation of $8 Bn each. 

In the case of WPL, 6 startups have tapped in for sponsorship and most of these
brands are a mix of gaming, fashion & lifestyle and healthcare. However, the one
thing that we need to keep in mind is that it’s the first season of WPL and the
tournament will need time to establish itself. Moreover, the overall sponsors
for WPL are a lot less than that of IPL, which is also a reason for the less
number of startups.

Source: BARC


STARTUPS SPONSORING WPL 2023



Noise is an Indian firm that manufactures and distributes wearables and other
similar goods. As of June 2020, it is the electronic industry that dominates the
present market in the production of smartwatches. This company came into force
due to the collaborative efforts of two brothers, Amit Khatri, and Gaurav
Khatri. The Noise products are now accessible on numerous outlets such as Amazon
and Flipkart. For four years in a row, they have been featured as the
bestselling brand on Amazon and Flipkart, and in 2019. According to a recent
Counterpoint research analysis, Noise was leading the market in 2021 with a 27%
share and over 278% year-on-year growth in the smartwatch category. 



Dream11 is a fantasy sports website where users may participate in fantasy
cricket, hockey, football, kabaddi, and basketball. It was founded in 2008 by
Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth and offered freemium fantasy cricket in India in
2012. It became the first Indian gaming firm to join the unicorn club in April
2019. Dream11 had 160 million active users in India by December 2022. Dream
Sports, Dream 11’s parent business, secured $840 million in fundraising in 2021,
headed by Tiger Global, D1 Capital, Falcon Edge, DST Global, and Redbird
Capital. In 2017, the firm collaborated with three cricket, football, and
basketball leagues. Dream11 has been named the Official Fantasy Partner of the
Caribbean Premier League and the Indian Super League.



App for esports and skill games Striker, a digital sports collectibles platform
founded by two of Mobile Premier League’s workers, Krishna Mohan Vedula and
Nitesh Jain, has received funding as it prepares to enter the young but rapidly
rising Web3 gaming industry. Striker’s marketplace lets users acquire and sell
digital player cards. It also allows people to form teams out of these cards and
compete in fantasy games. Web 3 is still in its early stages, but it is thought
to be the next edition of the internet that will be decentralized and operate on
a blockchain. While MPL has made no financial commitment, it will assist Striker
by providing technical and infrastructure assistance.



Nutrizoe is a women-focused nutrition company with a new-age format of
ready-to-eat (RTE), zero prep time (RTC), highly appealing, and nutritious
goods. The company’s initial product, “Lactobites,” was developed in accordance
with the RDA of a nursing mother and has been favorably received by India’s
premier maternity chain hospitals and gynecologists. With over 25 components and
no preservatives or additives, it is a powerful on-the-go nourishment for many
parents. With a growing market potential of 10Bn by 2025, Nutrizoe strongly
believes that it will be one of the major platforms for all the
Products/Services for Women from Puberty to Menopause. 



Fantasy sports platform SportsBuzz11 has associated with Delhi Capitals as the
official fantasy partner and back-of-jersey sponsor for the ongoing Women’s T20
League. The tournament is being played between 4 and 26 March 2023. The
SportsBuzz11 logo will be featured on the back of the match and training jerseys
of the Delhi Capitals throughout the competition. The fantasy sports platform,
SportsBuzz11 has announced a new partnership with the Indian cricketer, Nitish
Rana. In this new association, the left-handed batter will serve as the entity’s
brand ambassador.


SPORTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED A MAN’S TERRITORY. DID WPL 2023 SPONSORSHIP
PATTERN PROVE THIS WRONG?

WOMEN-CENTRIC BRANDS TAPPING INTO WPL

Mia by Tanishq, Vega Beauty, Himalayan Face Care, Navyasa, Joy Personal Care,
Lotus Herbals and World Gold Council have associated with the women’s cricketing
tournament. 

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the most desirable property for
businesses to associate with over the past 15 years. To reach their target
market, brands from all categories line up. These brands tend to be those that
cater to male viewers since cricket is primarily followed by men in India. A
female-centric brand is uncommon in this environment. The Women’s Premier League
(WPL)’s first season, however, heralds a shift.

Through the eight teams or the broadcaster, numerous businesses that appeal to
women have made ties to the tournament. Everything from jewelry to cosmetics to
sari labels can be seen promoting the cricket competition.

For Royal Challengers Bangalore, significant sponsors include Vega Beauty,
Himalaya Face Care, and Mia by Tanishq. For Delhi Capitals, key sponsors are
Navyasa and Joy Personal Care. Mumbai Indians’ Principal Partner is Lotus
Herbals. Meanwhile, the World Gold Council has become a sponsor of Viacom18
Sports, the event’s official broadcaster. WPL has also onboarded Patanjali the
principal sponsor of UP Warriorz. Patanjali falls under the FMCG category and
when it comes to purchases of such products it’s mostly the women who do the
decision-making in households. 


DID FINTECH AND EDTECH CATEGORIES WIN THE WPL RACE LIKE IPL 2022?

Source: BARC

CATEGORIES ADVERTISING THE MOST

 * Fashion & Lifestyle: It could be due to the first time advantage of the game
   or the fact that it’s women’s cricket, we saw a lot of lifestyle brands
   sponsoring in the first-ever season of WPL. About 18.2% of fashion and
   lifestyle brands are sponsoring in WPL which also includes popular brands
   like H&M, Mia and Vega Beauty. 
 * Gaming: Gaming sector players contend that the gaming industry and sports
   events are a match made in heaven, and it’s key for gaming brands to make the
   most of WPL as it can offer different opportunities for brands. Old players
   like MPL, Dream11 and Sportsbuzz who have been advertising in IPL have put
   their money on WPL as well. 
 * FMCG: 11.4% of FMCG brands have rode on the WPL waves this year, brands like
   Fortune, Patanjali, and Galaxy Basmati Rice are major sponsors of WPL. A
   prime reason for this could be the reach and popularity of cricket as a
   sporting event. 

CATEGORIES ABSENT FROM THE WPL AD LANDSCAPE

 * BFSI: IPL 2022 witnessed a surge in BFSI brands and Fintech, big brands like
   Acko, Slice, KreditBee were key sponsors. As per Inc42, about 34.5% of brands
   were from the BFSI sector. However, for WPL only 3 BFSI brands signed up
   which were Max Life Insurance, Bank of Baroda and TATA Capital. 
 * Automobile: WPL also saw a lack in automobile brands, Hero Vida which is an
   electronic vehicle brand and Ashok Leyland, a leading commercial vehicle
   manufacturer are the only automobile brands who are sponsoring in the
   tournament. 
 * Logistics: While IPL has seen popular logistic brands like Zepto and Swiggy
   Instamart, WPL roped in none. 

ED-TECH BRANDS WITHDRAW

Women’s Premier League’s first season did not witness any EdTech brands as
sponsors. There is a possibility that EdTech brands did not see any scope or
opportunity in the league. Another reason could be the decreasing number of
EdTech brands for IPL as well, and the same trend was followed in WPL. Though
IPL 2022 had BYJU’s and Unacademy as the prime sponsors, the number has
decreased over the years and WPL saw none. 

In fact, as per Brand Equity, big brands like BYJU’S and Unacademy are giving
IPL 2023 a miss. Hence, there is no confusion that WPL also suffered from the
same trend and received the backlash from the EdTech industry. 

BAN ON CRYPTO & GAMBLING APPS

The new Women’s Premier League (WPL) clubs have been instructed by the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) not to enter into sponsorship agreements
with businesses involved in the cryptocurrency, gambling, tobacco, real-money
gaming, and betting industries.

However, there are no limitations on the franchises’ ability to contract with
fantasy sports organisations. Surrogate advertising and cryptocurrency-related
promotions were previously subject to more monitoring. Speaking of
cryptocurrencies, the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) sent a letter to
the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance in June 2017 requesting that
celebrities refrain from endorsing an industry known for its volatility.

Asserting that celebrities will be held liable if the advertisements were
discovered to be deceptive, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)
intervened. Actors have to use due diligence, it stated.

Gaming for real money saw a range of highs and lows. Companies in the area are
having trouble building credibility. According to media sources, many state
governments have criticised skill-based real money gambling, which generates
more than half of this sector’s revenue. Hence, for WPL the BCCI made a
conscious step to ban the advertising of cryptocurrency, real money games, and
tobacco. 


WHICH TEAM GOT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SPONSORS? (TEAM VALUE)

Sponsoring in IPL has never just been about advertising in the tournament, but
is highly affected by the team a brand is sponsoring for. As per BARC, matches
played between Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers
Bangalore has the highest viewership. The value of the teams also depends
majorly on the players who are a part of the team, as well as the popularity of
the team. We can see that brands followed the same trend for Women’s Premier
League’s first season. 

For WPL, RCB has bagged popular brands like PUMA, Mia by Tanishq and Vega
Beauty, the Smriti Mandana led team had the highest number of brands from the
Fashion & Lifestyle sector. Even Mumbai Indians have roped in popular brands
like Lotus Herbals, Ashok Leylands and Sonata Software. Patanjali became the
principal sponsor of UP Warriorz, willing to tap into the limelight of
encouraging women empowerment. 


WHICH SPONSORS MARKED THEIR DEBUT IN THE FIELD OF IPL-WPL SPONSORSHIP? (WPL
FIRST BRANDS)

The Women’s Premier League might take a few seasons to set itself up, however
the first ever season gave brands the opportunity to sponsor at a much lesser
sponsorship cost compared to that of IPL. The low entry barrier has enabled
several brands to sponsor in WPL and enter in the sport advertising arena, who
had never even entered the IPL ad landscape before. 

Several Fashion & Lifestyle brands like H&M, Navyasa and Mia are key team
sponsors for WPL, mainly to attract women audiences. Apart from women-centric
brands, many other brand sectors like BFSI, Construction, FMCG and Automobile
too have entered the WPL advertising ecosystem. 

Here is a list of brands who have advertised in WPL (these brands have never
advertised on IPL):

 1.  Noise
 2.  Bank of Baroda
 3.  Hero Vida
 4.  H&M
 5.  World Gold Council
 6.  Apar Industries
 7.  Sonata Software
 8.  Nutrizoe
 9.  Kajaria
 10. Mia by Tanishq
 11. Vega Beauty
 12. Himalaya
 13. Galaxy Basmati Rice
 14. Navyasa by Liva
 15. Joy
 16. Cristos
 17. Gopal Namkeen
 18. Chitra OOH
 19. Patanjali
 20. French Essence
 21. Transworld


WHICH ARE THE BRANDS THAT CONTINUE TO BET BIG ON CRICKET?

Dream11: Dream Sports, which was founded in 2008 by Bhavit Sheth and Harsh Jain,
has expanded over the years to offer a variety of fan involvement opportunities,
including fantasy sports, content, shopping, experiences, and events. One of the
unicorn’s subsidiaries is called Dream11.

According to Dream11, it has more than 80 million users. The business has been
planning a $1.5 billion IPO in the US, which would value it at $6 billion.
(Source: Inc42)

Official fantasy sponsor of the Tata WPL 2023 is Dream11. This season, the
gaming unicorn has partnerships with two WPL teams, which is a record. In
addition to being an official fantasy sponsor with the Women’s Premier League’s
first season, the unicorn also serves as the key sponsor of Royal Challengers
Bangalore and the associate sponsor of Mumbai Indians.

MPL: Founded in 2018 by Sai Srinivas Kiran G and Shubh Malhotra, MPL offers
various gaming options, including daily fantasy sports. MPL, at the latest
edition of WPL, has partnered as the official key sponsor of WPL.

At present, MPL claims to have 85 Mn users in India, the US, and Indonesia. For
years, the startup has partnered with several game developers and added more
than 70 games to its platform. 

The startup became a unicorn in 2021 after a Series E round by raising around
$150 Mn from Legatum Capital, Accrete Capital and Gaingels LLC, at a pre-money
valuation of $2.3 Bn. (Source: Inc42)

CEAT Tyres: Founded in 1958, CEAT is one of India’s leading tyre brands and the
flagship company of the RPG GROUP . Driven by the purpose of helping the world
move safely and smartly, CEAT provides world-class products and services across
110+ countries.

CEAT Tyres has been the official strategic timeout partner of IPL since 2015,
and even in WPL the company has signed up for the same. 


WHAT’S DRIVING THE BRANDS TO ADVERTISE?

Viewership: This was the first ever season of Women’s Premier League and it’s
natural for the tournament to take some time to gain momentum. However, WPL 2023
gained 45% female viewership which is pretty close to that of IPL 2022. The
average reach per match (based on cum reach of WPL 2023 on TV) was 60% of the
first 8 matches of IPL 2022(Data Source: BARC), which is impressive for a first
time tournament. 

Based on Gender: As we discussed earlier, WPL has attracted a lot of
women-centric brands from Vega Beauty to Navyasa, popular female brands can be
seen in the league. This is the first time the viewers will be witnessing
female-centric brands in the league, which will change the way audiences view
women’s cricket. The shift is also important in the advertising industry as
brands too want to change the way consumers perceive them and WPL is the perfect
platform. 

Low entry barrier: There are plenty first time brands who have entered the WPL
advertising landscape, and this could be because of the cost-effective nature of
the tournament. While IPL advertising is quite expensive, the Women’s Premier
League is a much cost effective property, hence a lot of brands who have never
advertised in any sports event have now tapped into WPL. 


DID ADVERTISING IN WPL 2023 MEAN WOMEN-CENTRIC ADS TOO?

As soon as The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) launched the Women’s
Premier League in 2023, brands planned to make the most out of the tournament,
which has allowed them to ultimately appeal to a broad audience and encourage
women in sports. 

Women’s IPL franchises have gotten a lot of interest despite being a new
product. Surprisingly, some female-focused firms that are new to sports
sponsoring are beginning with the first WIPL.

Moreover, companies are launching advertisements that portray the sporting
league in its authentic form, utilising well-known athletes and remaining
faithful to the spirit of this homegrown property. In addition, these key
elements that predominate the popular culture around the league, such as the
extent to which fans would go to in order to cheer on their favorite teams and
their expression of affection for the players, can be observed in the campaigns
as well.

Apart from that, women are usually asked questions regarding their game that men
aren’t and they are often gendered when it comes to cricket in particular or any
sports in general. Principal Sponsor of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kajaria’s
campaign has highlighted these questions and Players of RCB are seen breaking
these stereotypes.

Ashok Leyland, who is the Principal Partner of Mumbai Indians, has highlighted
the pain points that its players have faced to be where they are in sports
today. Fortune has featured Indian Cricketer and Gujrat Giants’ player Hurley
Gala’s mother who is shown talking about nutrition and cooking healthy food for
her daughter. 

On the other hand, the #NotFair campaign by Himalaya Wellness Company was
started on the field. During the first two days of the match, the RCB players
were seen sporting #NotFair on their headgears, which has sparked curiosity
among the viewers. Following that, the headgears had the message “Himalaya Rose,
Beauty is not equal to Color” with the objective to debunk beauty myths and
encourage inclusivity. This campaign has extended even to the print medium.

Here’s a look at Women’s IPL campaigns that are making a difference by talking
about gender biases in the sports ecosystem and celebrating women in sports.


SHIFT IN THE MESSAGE

MIA



Kajaria



Lotus Herbals



PUMA



Ashok Leylands




WPL- A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

The first ever season of Women’s Premier League concluded on March 26, 2023. The
tournament witnessed tremendous response on ground but the response on TV was
tepid. JioCinema experienced the highest watch time per users that is, 50 mins
per match as per Viacom18 Sports.

Women’s Premier League roped in 50+ advertisers for its first season and the
league also had the highest viewership for any women’s sports event. The
inaugural match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals bagged 10 Mn viewers.
As per industry experts, WPL received massive footfall in the stadium but the TV
viewership was not as high as expected. The match on Sunday experienced 35,000
people and there were 20 – 25,000 spectators for the match before. 

As per BARC, TV rating for the 1st week was 0.22, for 2nd week it was 0.28 and
0.22 for the 3rd week, which experts are saying is not high but a decent number
for a first time event. According to E4M, the live reach for the tournament for
week 1 was 51Mn and 61Mn for week 2. The ad revenue collected by Viacom18 is
about 80-90 Cr and the official broadcaster collected around 70-90 Cr. 

The broadcasters are concerned about the viewership, the advertisers are worried
about their ROI, both of which are likely to increase with the upcoming seasons.
However, for women cricketers and audiences the Women’s Premier League 2023 is a
milestone in the field of cricket. WPL is a landmark which has taken the
initiative to commercialise women’s cricket and bring them into the limelight. 

Hence, as the first ever tournament comes to an end, we keep our fingers crossed
and look forward to a future where women cricketers get their due recognition
and fame, something that their male counterparts have been long relishing. 

(Source: E4M)

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