The esports ecosystem in India is constantly expanding, with more traditional sports teams, investors, and gaming communities becoming involved. One of the most recent efforts fuelling this development is the Indian Super Gaming League (ISGL), a franchise-based national esports tournament that will debut later this year.
LetsGameNow (LGN) manages the league, which intends to provide a structured, season-based format to Indian esports, shifting the ecosystem away from standalone tournaments and towards a city-based competitive framework.
The league, which includes major sports franchises such as Mumbai City FC, FC Goa, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Inter Kashi, Puneri Paltan, Bangalore Bhargavas, and Andhra Agneyas, marks a significant convergence between traditional sports and competitive gaming in India.
In this interview, the founders, Gautam Badalia and Santanu Basu, explain ISGL’s mission, the importance of structure in the esports industry, and how the league intends to uncover and develop the next generation of Indian esports talent.
1. What inspired you to launch the Indian Super Gaming League, and what gap in Indian esports were you aiming to address?
One of the biggest issues in India’s esports ecosystem is the lack of structure and professionalism. I’ve played for a US-based esports team for seven years, and the difference between the international ecosystem and India is huge. Abroad, everything is organised players have conditioning coaches, mental health coaches, and a year-long calendar that clearly outlines tournaments and competitions.
In India, things are far more uncertain. Players often don’t know when the next tournament will happen or when prize money will be distributed. Personally, I have participated in around 500 college esports events, and I’m still waiting for prize money from nearly 300 of them. That’s how unstructured the ecosystem currently is.
When I represented India at a world championship, I was trained in Singapore for two months before the event. That kind of preparation helped me secure a third-place finish. Unfortunately, in India, many people still don’t realise that esports is a medal sport at the Asian Games. We need to focus not only on mobile gaming but also on other competitive titles.
Our vision with ISGL is to build a structured league that can help identify and nurture the next generation of Indian esports medallists.
2. How will the league be structured, and how will it differ from existing esports competitions in India?
For the first season, the league will run for around three months. However, from next year onwards, we plan to scout talent throughout the year through college tournaments, school competitions, and grassroots initiatives. Currently, most esports events in India happen in an ad hoc manner. What we are trying to introduce is a more scientific and structured approach. The league will have a pan-India framework across nine regions, creating regional pathways that eventually lead to a national grand finale. Beyond that, we also want to build an international pathway. We are already in discussions with countries like Saudi Arabia and Finland to enable bilateral opportunities where Indian gamers can compete internationally, and global players can compete in India.
3. Which games will feature in the league?
We deliberately chose not to focus heavily on titles like BGMI because they are primarily India-centric and already have their own tournament ecosystem. Instead, we are focusing on games that are part of global competitions and the Asian Games, such as FIFA, chess, and Call of Duty. These games have a strong international presence and offer players a pathway to represent India at major global events. Over time, we plan to expand the lineup and eventually include up to 12 additional IP titles, but we want to grow gradually and sustainably.
4. The league follows a franchise-based model. How do you see this becoming commercially sustainable?
In the first season, the primary focus is on building the intellectual property and strengthening the league’s foundation. Commercial sustainability will develop gradually through multiple revenue streams. These include sponsorships, media rights, and ticket sales. Some of these discussions are already underway, and a few partnerships have already been secured.
Globally, esports events attract massive live audiences. In countries like China and South Korea, arenas hosting esports competitions can draw crowds of 50,000 to 60,000 spectators. India already has a massive gaming audience—stadiums are empty, but trains, buses, and cafes are filled with people playing games. Our goal is to bring that gaming audience into a live esports entertainment ecosystem.
5. The league has partnered with sports franchises like Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC. How did those collaborations come about?
The future of gaming lies in blending digital ecosystems with traditional sports. Football clubs already have a strong fan base and a large digital reach, so collaborating with them was a strategic decision. For instance, the Indian Super League has a viewership of over 114 million fans, while esports games like FC Mobile have around 500 million downloads globally. By combining these ecosystems, we can create a much larger fan engagement platform.
Additionally, many international football clubs already invest heavily in esports divisions. We’ve seen this model work globally, and we believe India is ready to adopt a similar approach.
6. Beyond the league itself, what other initiatives are part of the ISGL ecosystem?
ISGL is just one component of a broader esports ecosystem we are building. We are also planning to launch gaming labs, gaming cafés, and incubation platforms to support the next generation of players and developers. We are also developing original games in-house. One example is a table tennis esports mobile game, which is the first of its kind globally. Another game called “Bharat Run” allows players to run across a virtual map of India while learning about historical landmarks and locations. The goal is to blend education, gaming, and technology, helping young players learn while they play.
7. Where do you see Indian esports heading in the next few years?
Globally, esports is one of the fastest-growing industries, expanding at roughly 23% CAGR over the next decade. The Asia-Pacific region will contribute more than 50% of this growth, and India has barely scratched the surface so far. With over 450–500 million gamers, India has immense talent potential. If we can provide the right infrastructure, funding, and ecosystem, India could become one of the leading esports markets in the world. Our long-term vision is simple: build a structured ecosystem that helps India discover the next Neeraj Chopra of esports.
