Images of Anil Ambani running the Mumbai Marathon are the stuff of dreams for brand managers. They portray him as a young, energetic long-term player, the sort everyone rushes to invest with. Corporate India?s sportsmanship spirit, however, finds its strongest manifestation in the marketing arena, where hidden persuaders of all stripes are ready to sponsor all sorts of games. Some of this is just personal affinity. Like in America, entrepreneurs in India inevitably turn out to be sports lovers. It?s not mere coincidence that sport analogies are so common in business. Goals, immediate targets, risks, comebacks, leads, losses, wins, strategies?one could easily mistake what the discussion is about. And if you happen to actually own a team or two, there?s nothing like it. There?s a ruboff in terms of perceptions of business dynamism, even as the advertising spinoffs do their bit to keep your brand salient amongst audiences.
Having to operate in an ad-restrained business environment, such as liquor, is certainly a big factor that predisposes corporates towards sports sponsorships. Vijay Mallya of Kingfisher has been ahead of the curve at this game, and some would regard his Formula One racing team as a prize catch. His UB Group also owns a string of football clubs in Kolkata, and his strategy of sport diversification is being watched keenly. Another group that has taken a sudden interest in sports is Bharti. This telecom firm intends to invest a few hundred crore in football, with the objective of putting India on the world map for the world?s most popular game. If this is part of a long-term image globalisation game on its part, it would be fascinating to watch. Indian football performance does not live up to viewer interest in this sport, though this could arguably be changed with effort and money?even in a cricket crazed country. Golf, tennis and hockey have also attracted corporate interest. Globally, the sports sponsorship market is estimated at $40 billion. In India, it is about $4 billion, overwhelmingly cricket. As the emerging economy story unfolds, expect the figure to increase at an increasing rate, even as the sport allocations begin to diversify under market and corporate pressure to sustain new fields of attraction. Enhanced sponsorship could do the entire economy a good turn.
