Sponsorship for Indian Olympic athletes surges 2000% in a decade - Reports

According to a report from Financial Express, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has accumulated INR 50 crore in sponsorship revenue from sponsorship and brand deals ahead of the Paris Olympics.

The figure is double of what was achieved in the Tokyo Games (INR 24-28 crore) in 2020 and a 2000% increase from the Rio Games in 2016.

Some of the notable athletes who have received much traction in sponsorship deals have been, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (weightlifting), Lovlina Borgohain (boxing), Manpreet Singh (hockey), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey), Manika Batra (table tennis) and Manu Bhaker (shooting). All the esteemed athletes are contenders to secure a medal for the country.

Top companies like Reliance Foundation, JSW, Yes Bank, Ebco, Puma, Adani Sportsline, and Aditya Birla Capital have strongly supported Indian Olympic athletes.

Here's what Neerav Tomar, MD of IOS Sports & Entertainment, the official marketing agency for the IOA said:

“For talent endorsements, we have partnered with brands such as Domino’s, Adidas Global, Nike, Asics, RBL Bank, Amrutanjan, OnePlus, Red Bull, Bisleri, Britannia, Royal Enfield, Nothing Tech, Herbalife, Puma and Evocus, to name a few."

According to Tomar, after they joined hands with IOA in 2016, there was a jump in the sponsorship revenue. He thinks that the Rio Olympics began a positive trend, and the upward trajectory has continued until the Paris Games.

“Looking ahead to the Paris Olympics, the sponsorship revenue is about double again, at approximately Rs 50 crore. This represents a remarkable increase of approximately 2,000% from pre-2016,” Tomar added.

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Sponsors have partnered with Indian athletes on digital platforms ahead of Paris Olympics

The report further provides information that various brands have been engaged in handling small-scale promotions. The numerous campaigns will go live leading up to and during the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11.

As per Tomar, 40-50 athletes are in talks with athletes for their digital campaigns. He said:

“Influencer marketing is particularly popular for the Olympic games, with brands partnering with anywhere from two to six athletes per campaign. The value of these campaigns varies based on their budgets and spending strategies."