Indian brands move beyond 30-second ads as IPL dominates and ISL struggles for commercial depth
NDTV Profit's The Hook explores how Indian brands are pivoting from traditional sports advertising to AR experiences, AI-driven merchandise and fan communities. IPL remains the gravitational center for sponsor spend, while football properties like ISL find it harder to convert fan passion into durable commercial returns.
NDTV Profit's The Hook examines how brands in India are shifting from traditional sports ads to AR, AI-driven merchandise and fan communities, with IPL dominating while football properties like ISL struggle to build durable commercial depth.
Why this matters
ISL continues to lag IPL in monetisation despite a passionate fan base, as brands reallocate budgets toward immersive formats and community-led activations rather than traditional ad slots tied to football properties.
Retail-brand signals steady at 1,837 over the last 90 days, indicating sustained brand activity.