As sports merchandise continues to evolve from replica jerseys into a broader lifestyle category, emerging Indian brands are increasingly exploring how fan identity can extend beyond match day. Indian sportswear brand Hyve has entered this space through its licensing partnership with Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.
The collaboration marks Hyve’s first major move into licensed fan merchandise at scale, as the brand looks to combine its activewear foundation with culturally rooted product storytelling. The partnership will see Hyve develop a range of apparel and accessories designed not only for stadium use but also for everyday wear, reflecting a broader global shift where fan merchandise increasingly overlaps with lifestyle fashion.
In this conversation with SportsMint Media, Hyve Founder Rakesh Rajeev discusses the brand’s evolution, its approach to IPL merchandising, operational readiness, and the long-term opportunity in India’s sports merchandise ecosystem.
1. To begin with, could you introduce Hyve and the idea behind the brand?
Hyve was born from a simple idea: to build a sportswear brand designed for the way India moves. Many international brands design products globally and then adapt them for India, but we wanted to create products specifically suited for Indian conditions, including climate and sporting habits.
The name Hyve comes from the hive, the home of bees, which are among the most active creatures in nature. The philosophy behind the brand is to create an ecosystem for active individuals in India and develop products that support an active lifestyle.
We started as a sportswear brand and have gradually expanded into accessories as well, continuing to build products that align with everyday sporting needs.
2. How does the CSK partnership fit into Hyve’s broader journey as a brand?
We see this partnership as a natural extension of our journey rather than a shift in direction. Our vision has always been to develop sportswear products rooted in Indian communities and sporting culture.
Fan merchandise provides an opportunity to take our product philosophy and apply it to a culturally significant sporting institution like Chennai Super Kings. Our focus is not limited to match-day products but extends to creating an entire product ecosystem that fans can integrate into their everyday lives.
CSK has a deeply loyal fan base with strong cultural roots, making it an ideal partner for this phase of our journey.
3. Is this Hyve’s first licensing partnership in fan merchandise?
We have worked with smaller clubs earlier when we were involved in teamwear. However, from a licensing standpoint, in fan merchandise apparel and accessories, this is our first large-scale partnership.
We believe Chennai Super Kings is the right starting point because of the strong emotional connection the franchise shares with its fans and its commitment to building a strong community.
4. What does associating with a franchise like CSK bring to Hyve?
CSK brings three important advantages.
First is scale. It is one of the most followed franchises in India, providing access to a large audience that would otherwise take years for a D2C brand to build.
Second is credibility. Associating with a legacy brand strengthens trust and brand recognition.
Third is cultural alignment. CSK has a deeply rooted community, which aligns with our vision of building products for sports-driven communities.
With over 22 million followers across digital platforms, we believe there is strong potential to generate meaningful engagement.
5. What is the product philosophy behind the CSK collection?
Our approach is driven more by product philosophy than just design philosophy. From the beginning, we were clear that we did not want to simply create new designs on existing jerseys.
That is not the idea behind this collaboration. Instead, we want to bring our product innovation capability into the fan merchandise experience.
We are focused on developing products that integrate into everyday lifestyle categories rather than limiting merchandise to match-day apparel. The intention is to create a wider product ecosystem that reflects both performance and cultural relevance for fans.
For example, certain products are inspired by cultural elements connected to the CSK community, ensuring that merchandise becomes part of daily routines rather than being restricted to stadium use.
Our goal is to expand the fan merchandise category beyond traditional formats and create products that fans can use regularly in different environments, whether during sport, travel or everyday activities.
6. How are you engaging fans digitally through this partnership?
CSK already has one of the most engaged digital audiences in Indian sport. Our focus is on meaningful engagement rather than simple promotional messaging.
We are planning weekly product drops, limited-edition collections and fan contests. Some collections are inspired by iconic players, allowing fans to express their connection more strongly.
These initiatives help maintain excitement throughout the season rather than limiting engagement to major match moments.
7. Hyve has indicated an initial production run of around 50,000 units. How are you preparing operationally for IPL demand?
Agility is extremely important for a D2C brand. We have built operational systems that allow quick turnaround times and efficient inventory planning.
IPL demand patterns are unique, with sudden spikes driven by team performance and fan sentiment. We have prepared through demand forecasting, inventory stocking and flexible production systems to adapt quickly to changes in demand.
8. How quickly can Hyve respond to emerging trends during the season?
One of our strengths is our in-house manufacturing capability, which allows us to respond quickly to trends.
Our strategy includes three layers:
- Core collection already launched.
- Weekly drops planned in advance
- Quick-turnaround collections developed in response to emerging trends
We can introduce new products within approximately seven days if required.
9. What is the distribution strategy for the CSK merchandise range?
We are following an omnichannel approach.
While our primary strength remains our D2C platform, we are also working with marketplaces and quick-commerce platforms to improve accessibility.
We are partnering with distributors across Tamil Nadu and Kerala to ensure availability in physical retail as well. The objective is to ensure fans can access merchandise conveniently through their preferred channels.
10. How do you view the current IPL merchandise landscape?
The market is evolving, with multiple brands participating in official merchandise.
However, much of the category remains centred around match-day jerseys. We see an opportunity to expand into products that fans can incorporate into everyday lifestyles.
As fan culture continues to strengthen across generations, the demand for lifestyle-oriented merchandise is expected to grow.
11. What is Hyve’s long-term vision as a brand?
Our long-term vision is to reach a wider audience across India through digital channels and expand product categories across multiple sports.
We aim to develop products for both performance and recreational sporting activities. Over time, we see ourselves operating across performance apparel, community-driven apparel and sport-inspired lifestyle products.
12. What are the key opportunities and challenges in the Indian sports merchandise market?
Franchise-led cricket has become deeply embedded in Indian culture, and fan attachment continues to grow across generations.
This creates opportunities beyond match kits into multiple product categories.
The challenge lies in identifying the right price points and building consistent consumer behaviour around merchandise purchases. The market is still evolving, and brands need to invest in the long term to develop this culture.
13. How does Hyve plan to build fan engagement beyond merchandise?
Our philosophy extends beyond products. We want to create a community for active individuals in India.
We have previously organised community initiatives such as cycling events that encourage participation in sport and foster social connections.
Going forward, we aim to expand such initiatives to contribute positively to the sporting ecosystem and encourage more people to adopt active lifestyles.
Hyve’s entry into licensed IPL merchandise through Chennai Super Kings reflects a broader shift in how emerging Indian sportswear brands are approaching fan commerce. Rather than focusing solely on match-day replicas, the brand is attempting to position merchandise as part of everyday lifestyle consumption.
As India’s sports ecosystem continues to mature, partnerships like this highlight how merchandising is increasingly being viewed not just as a promotional tool, but as a long-term consumer business opportunity built on community, culture and consistent engagement.
