Dream11 co-founder and CEO Harsh Jain on Thursday announced the company’s newest bet, a second-screen sports entertainment platform that allows fans to watch matches alongside sports creators through interactive watch-alongs. The initiative, unveiled at a press briefing in Mumbai, follows three months of internal groundwork to identify what Jain described as the “next big problem” the company could solve.
“The problem is that no one likes to watch sports alone,” he said in the press briefing, noting that while Indians still gather for key fixtures, everyday match viewing has become a solitary experience. Given the shift to nuclear households and time-poor lifestyles, he added, “It’s damn depressing to watch the match alone. And the internet has perfected watching the match alone.”
A fragmented fan experience
Dream11 hopes to fix what Jain termed a “broken experience”, the inability to share reactions, banter or disappointment in real time. Data, according to Jain, says that 80% of fans use a second screen during live sports, while India now counts 129 million connected-TV users and 600 million OTT viewers. According to Jain, this multi-screen behaviour has delivered 70% higher sports consumption.
“Sports fans want to watch games alone, together,” he said. “Dream11 will always be the popcorn to your movie. Our mission is to make every match more exciting—we complement the match.”
Creator-led watch-alongs
The platform will host live watch-alongs with sports creators, integrating match scorecards and real-time statistics directly into the viewing interface. Users will follow creators who stream themselves watching matches, driving audience interactions through quizzes, shout-outs, polls, collaborations and free-to-play fantasy formats.
While global platforms such as Twitch offer similar formats, Jain said there is no scaled equivalent dedicated to sports. Existing independent watch-along creators, such as AB Cricinfo, Pahul Walia and 2 Sloggers, will now have a centralised stage.
The app will adopt a virtual currency micro-payment model, enabling users to pay for shout-outs, ask questions or join creators on video calls. Revenue will follow a creator economy format, with influencers retaining the majority share and Dream11 earning a commission, according to Jain.
The platform will feature ‘Moments’—a short-reels format capturing micro-highlights from creator interactions and standout reactions.
Ad-supported with premium upgrades
Monetisation will combine ad-supported engagement with in-app purchases, Jain said. A premium tier and an ad-free version are slated to roll out in subsequent phases.
Dream11 estimates a $10-billion global revenue total addressable market in second-screen sports engagement and a potential user base of 1 billion worldwide.
The launch will include 25 curated creators, with plans to open up access to all creators later, mirroring YouTube’s growth trajectory. Private friend rooms will not be available; watch-alongs will be influencer-driven.
“Gen Z is doing watch-alongs for everything,” Jain said, suggesting the format is culturally primed for sports.
A complement to broadcasters
Positioning the product as an ecosystem catalyst, Jain noted that platforms such as JioStar, SonyLIV and Amazon Prime Video stand to benefit from deeper engagement.
“This is a second-screen dominated experience, so for first-screen providers, this will be their best friend,” he said.
The new Dream11 watch-along app will go live within the next 24 hours.