Why WPL 2.0 has the brands bowled over

It's hardly been a week since the Tata Women’s Premier League (WPL) began, and the tournament has already gained momentum on the field and amongst advertisers.

Apart from Tata, who will be sponsoring 5 seasons of the cricket tournament, brands Dream11, CEAT Tyres and Amul have also been onboarded as league partners by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The three brands are supposed to be associated for three seasons from 2023 to 2025.

According to a news report, WPL is predicted to generate up to Rs 125 crore in sponsorship revenues for BCCI and its five teams. The report added that central sponsorships could generate Rs 50 crore, while team sponsorships could earn Rs 50-65 crore. In 2023, market estimates suggested that sponsorship revenues from WPL teams generated around Rs 15-20 crore. This marks a more than 50% increase in the budgets that advertisers are willing to park with the league and its teams. 

Industry experts agree that the second edition of WPL this year has indeed seen an uptick in advertisers’ interests. According to agency experts, while the league’s scale might not match IPL levels, it is catching advertiser eyeballs. “There is definitely an uptick from both: advertisers and the viewers. WPL today attracts more eyeballs,” says Vinay Hegde, Chief Buying Officer of Madison World. He opines that the way WPL has been promoted has made everybody take notice, making it a good vehicle for brands. 

For instance, brands like JBL and HDFC Life have been new entrants this year as team sponsors, having associated with Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants, respectively. Harish Iyer, EVP, Media & Investment, Interactive Avenues (the digital arm of IPG Mediabrands India) pointed out how several new brands stepping forward to invest in the WPL, particularly those focused on women-centric products and services, aligning themselves with various teams within the league.

One such women-centric brand is Kay Beauty, which joined hands with UP Warriorz this season. Katrina Kaif, Co-Founder, Kay Beauty shared that an association with women's sports icons helps the brand amplify their voices and showcase their grit and the power of their athleticism and spirit. She adds, “We believe it is important for us to help push the conversations around women empowerment, and sport at the highest level is one of the most impactful ways of doing so.” 

Apart from new entrants, brands have also renewed their associations with the teams. Kajaria Ceramics, Vega Beauty, Puma, and Himalaya Face Care have renewed their association with RCB, Delhi Capitals has renewed its partnership with Galaxy Basmati Rice, and so on. “The inaugural tournament's success, coupled with strong sponsorship projections and growing viewership, indicates a heightened level of investment and confidence in the league,” mentioned Mitesh Kothari, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, White Rivers Media. 

Experts add that there has also been a positive shift in marketers’ mindset when it comes to gauging the potential of the tournament in targeting women. Iyer adds that the WPL presents a highly effective platform for brands looking to engage with the women demographic. “We've observed an uptick in digital sponsorship investments by women-centric brands,” he said. 

Kothari echoes a similar voice and notes that brands – especially those targeting female audiences – are recognizing the unique value proposition the WPL offers. He added, “It is being seen as a powerful avenue to reach a passionate, engaged fanbase and showcase a commitment to women's sports.”  Experts noted that this shift is driving a willingness to allocate a greater share of marketing budgets toward the WPL. 

Partnering with such events, especially WPL, has been creating a space for women's sports, and brands want in. “They want to be part of popular culture, and in India cricket is the epicentre of pop culture. The Men’s IPL has already made its mark, and although it is still too early for WPL, the attempt is honest to make it mainstream.”

“The Men’s IPL is a validation of how it changed the sport, the players, the brands, and the fans. As compared to last year, you see an increase in brands who have participated in the current year, which shows the format has been working for marketers”, Manesh Swamy, Chief Creative Officer & SVP, LS Digital added. 

Other factors to consider investing in the tournament are the momentum it's gaining in media coverage and presenting a comparatively lower risk for marketers to explore, in contrast to the IPL or other major tournaments. Deleise Ross, Senior VP and business head, of MudraMax, says, "WPL has experienced growth in terms of media coverage, fan engagement, and commercial opportunities over the past year. The investment required to be present in this sport is 1.5 times less than in the bigger leagues, which makes it easier for advertisers to experiment with the sport."

The crowd pull of the tournament has been an additional motivating factor for the brands to come on board as sponsors. “The increase in stadium audience capacity to upwards of 50% further underscores the growing enthusiasm surrounding the WPL,” Iyer mentioned.  

All of these factors put together are leading to a heightened budget allocation from marketers’ ends. Kothari says, “Expect marketing budgets to reflect this shift –  the WPL is no longer a tentative experiment, but a strategic investment for brands seeking to connect with the future.”

Going forward, it is anticipated that there will be greater participation by brands and marketers in the tournament. As Iyer says, “This will further reinforce WPL's significance within the advertising landscape and its pivotal role in promoting women's sports."

Furthermore, WPL is also expected to grow to become a huge tournament having more teams in place. Poulomi Roy, CMO, RSH Global, added to this perspective saying, "I believe that more teams will be added to WPL in the future. I think that ad spends by brands will increase with the growing prominence of WPL in the future. As a supporter of gender equality, I believe that WPL will become a huge sports property in the next couple of years & strong media presence of tournaments like WPL will make a positive impact on women's cricket amongst Indian women."