The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) unit, Chennai Singams are gearing up for a spectacular second season after bagging several top-tier players at the auction. With an increased roster and a better team makeup, Chennai Singams have made top moves to improve their prospects for the 2025 season.
Similarly, the squad has achieved tremendous commercial progress, gaining big sponsorships for the forthcoming season. With the team’s increasing awareness and league duration, the Singams have attracted top-tier sponsors. These commercial agreements highlight the league’s growing reach and the Singams’ ability to provide essential exposure to sponsors.
SportsMint Media had an exclusive interaction with Mr Rajdip Gupta, Co-owner of Chennai Singams. In the tête-à-tête, Mr Rajdip spoke on the league’s expansion, the team’s sponsorship performance metrics, sponsorship packages, and more.
1. Looking back at the first season, what was the most memorable part of the experience for you? And now, with the second season on the horizon, how excited are you to take it to the next level?
The second season is definitely growing much bigger compared to the first, largely due to the broadcaster. This year, Jio is broadcasting, and its reach is significantly greater than Sony’s, with more people having access to Jio. This is a major advantage.
Looking at the previous season, there’s been an increased awareness around tennis cricket, with several tournaments taking place across India. However, there was no platform that could host a tournament with a 1 crore prize and allow people to buy teams for 160 crore. We are investing around 20 crore each season, aiming to create a platform that adds value both for the cricketers and the league.
The growth of ISPL so far is very promising for the players. This season, we had an auction purse of 1 crore, and I am confident that it will continue to increase in the coming years. This indirectly benefits the players, as those who perform well this season may secure better opportunities and higher payouts next year. One of the most encouraging signs is the level of seriousness and dedication among the players. Many have even worked on their fitness, losing weight in preparation for this season. I’ve personally noticed some players making these changes, which reflects their commitment to competing at the highest level. The excitement around the league is palpable, and this is just the beginning.
2. What are your thoughts on expanding the league to a three-week tournament this time around?
I believe we’ve also set some clear requirements for the league this year. We can’t afford to have a season that’s just 10 days long with only 5 matches. Once you have sponsors on board, they expect longer visibility. If we can’t provide at least three weeks of visibility, why would anyone want to sponsor the event? To secure funding from sponsors, I need to ensure their logos are visible on TV for that extended period.
This year, with a three-week season and each team playing 10 matches, we can offer more opportunities for players as well. With 96 players in total (16 teams with 6 players each), it gives us room to ensure better rotation. Last year, we faced challenges with only 5 games, which meant we always had to field the best 11. As a result, some players didn’t get as much playing time. But with the expanded structure this season, every team will be able to conduct some research and development (R&D) on their team combinations, which will lead to more opportunities for everyone. That’s why I’m confident that this year will definitely be bigger and better.
3. What critical performance metrics does the team use to analyse the partnership’s success? What metrics did you follow?
The metrics we use are quite straightforward. We’ve had a dedicated scouting team in place for the past year, starting right after Season 1. From the beginning, our focus has been not only on the West zone, which traditionally produces a lot of players, but also on uncovering talent from all across India. There’s a wealth of talent spread throughout the country, and we’ve made it a priority to ensure that players from various regions are being closely monitored.
This broader approach has been vital, and the scouting team has played a crucial role in identifying the right talent, particularly outside of Maharashtra. If you look at the current trials, you’ll notice we’ve brought in players from all over India, which is a significant testament to the effectiveness of our scouting efforts. It’s been a huge advantage for us and really helped broaden the talent pool for the league.
4. With the second season coming up, were the sponsor deals signed as multi-year agreements from the start, or were extensions discussed based on the first season’s success?
We’ve definitely signed a few multi-year deals, and this year we are onboarding several more brands. Our goal is clear: we want to have more logos on our jerseys and caps. In fact, Chennai Singams may end up having the most logos on their jerseys this season. While we have our own companies, we are intentionally not using our own brands as sponsors, because it wouldn’t make sense to promote our own businesses in that way. The focus is on creating awareness that the league is supported by external brands, which adds value to both the league and the sponsors.
What excites me the most is the response we’re receiving from sponsors. It’s been overwhelming, and they recognise the value this league brings. When we pitch to sponsors, the key points we emphasise are visibility and the return on investment. Every brand wants to ensure that their investment delivers value, and that’s where our team, especially Rahul, has been doing a fantastic job. He’s been instrumental in ensuring that our deliverables align with the expectations of the brands.
It’s not just any tennis tournament; this is ISPL, a brand in its own right, and we want sponsors to get tangible value from being associated with it. We’ve already assured our sponsors that they will get significant returns, and based on the results from the first season, I believe they are very happy with the value they’ve received. In fact, nearly all the brands that sponsored us last season are continuing their partnerships with us this year as well. This is a clear indicator of the growing confidence in the league’s potential.
5. What new sponsorship packages or opportunities will be introduced to attract more sponsors?
Our sponsorships are already locked in, and there’s a significant benefit to turning a 10-day tournament into a 21-day one, as mentioned earlier. With the increased visibility, the value of the sponsorships can grow five times. This is a well-established rule in the market: the longer the visibility, the higher the return on investment.
We have various new packages and associations this year. First, there’s the standard kit sponsorship, which is common across all sports tournaments, whether cricket, football, or others. It’s a core package. Additionally, we have packages for associate partners who are interested in gaining digital visibility. Digital is playing a massive role now, and while these partners may not have their logos on the jerseys, they still benefit greatly from the digital exposure. These collaborations are crucial for their branding.
There will also be barter deals, where brands showcase their products through the players. These are more qualitative deals rather than direct cash deals, but they still contribute significantly. Brands might give us products worth, say, 75-80 lakhs, but they also invest in media spending to activate their sponsorship. This helps them get more mileage out of their partnership with us.
When it comes to long-term deals, sponsors who amortise their investments typically sign up for multiple years. It’s challenging to see a clear return on investment in just one season. However, they’re willing to pay a little extra each year, understanding that as the league grows, they’ll grow with it. It’s a long-term partnership, and they’re eager to be part of our journey from the beginning, as the league matures and gains momentum.