Fantasy sports are rapidly emerging in India due to the penetration of internet and smartphone use, both of which are contributing to the growth of sports.
As cricket continues to dominate the sports arena, the emerging generation is becoming interested in other sports, including hockey, kabaddi, football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball. Fantasy sports contributed to this growth, bringing together many large brands and celebrities, according to a white paper by Indiatech.
What is Fantasy Sports?
Basically, fantasy sports are online prediction games where players put together virtual teams of real-life players. The performance of individual players can be converted into in-game rewards and points based on their in-game performance. Dream 11 is a perfect example of this, an Indian fantasy sports platform that permit users to play fantasy sports based on cricket, basketball, kabaddi and football.
Why Fantasy Sports popular?
🔷Availability of Smartphones
Due to the increased availability of cheap, high-quality smartphones, more and more people are able to play fantasy sports and play games online.
🔷Cricket craze
In recent years, the cricket craze in India has contributed to the rapid growth of fantasy sports platforms, especially during lockdown periods, with fans showing a strong positive response.
🔷Demographics of youth
The growth of fantasy sports in the subcontinent has been attributed to the increasing number of youths. The current generation spends more and more time on smartphones and social media, so fantasy sports offer more opportunities to socialize and compete with their peers.
🔷Support from the organization
We see a great deal of success and growth in fantasy sports as a result of the effective backing and support provided by the system. It is not surprising that the BCCI supports the functioning of fantasy sports in India, given its obvious commercial and cultural potential. The colorful world of fantasy sports is also attracting many notable business giants, such as Jio and Paytm.
Impact of Fantasy Sports
Indian sports preferences and tastes have been heavily influenced by fantasy sports, with interest trickling over to sports other than cricket, according to reports from the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS). According to the same report, 87% of fantasy sports participants now research and gather more information to be better prepared and formulate a clearer strategy when playing fantasy sports, and over 48% of users now watch all games, regardless of their teams or nations.
Conclusion
The growing potential of fantasy sports is visible to all of us. With the immense support that receives from many quarters. Fantasy sports also has the potential to boost the potential of other sports in India, with a real possibility that sports like Kabbadi, basketball and football could see a boost through fantasy sports.
Fantasy sports can also generate more jobs in the country as more and more people take fantasy sports as a serious pursuit rather than a hobby. However, it is important to keep in mind that this is only the beginning and as such one needs to be patient and cautious in the face of what could be India's fastest growing industry in years.
Commentaires