WPL will increasingly be seen as a long-term brand platform, not a tactical sponsorship: Anup Govindan

The Women’s Premier League season four heads into its final on February 5. What began as cautious, almost tentative experimentation by advertisers has now become far more deliberate. For many brands this season, WPL is no longer a “see-how-it-goes” property;  it is planned early, budgeted consciously, and evaluated with the same seriousness as any mainstream sporting platform.

Between 2023 and 2026, sponsorship spending around the league has more than tripled as brands recalibrate women’s cricket from a niche property to a serious business investment. Media reports show that WPL sponsorship revenues have grown from roughly ₹40-50 crore in 2023 to an estimated ₹130 crore in 2026, reflecting broader advertiser confidence in the league’s commercial potential and audience expansion.

Alongside financial growth, viewer engagement has surged. WPL 2025 delivered a TV reach of over 233 million, making it comparable to established men’s cricket properties and marking year-on-year gains of 140% or more on linear TV and digital platforms. This commercial upward trajectory mirrors a broader cultural shift: women’s sports in India are projected to attract $900 million in commercial investments by 2030 as audiences grow and brand engagement deepens across platforms.

With the season reaching its most-watched phase, advertiser interest is peaking, not just in the final itself, but in what WPL represents as a long-term platform. According to Anup Govindan, Head - Sports Sales, JioStar, the biggest change he’s seen this year isn’t merely in the number of sponsors on board, but in how brands are approaching the league.

He said, “What began as exploratory conversations has now become strategic, with brands coming in early, committing budgets and viewing the WPL as a long-term, mainstream sporting property rather than an experiment.”

That mindset shift, he said, has fundamentally altered the nature of sales conversations around the league.

Buying spots to building presence

With 15 sponsors across categories as varied as FMCG, BFSI, EVs and AI, the WPL’s advertiser mix today reflects its growing commercial maturity. 

The sponsors include State Bank of India (SBI), BHIM Payments App, Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water, Kalyan Jewellers, TVS Eurogrip Tyres, VIDA powered by Hero MotoCorp, OpenAI (ChatGPT), OnePlus, Tata Capital, Policybazaar, Pidilite, Wipro, Reckitt Benckiser India, Mast Masala and Crystal Cook N Serve.

Govindan points out that brands are no longer just buying spots or impressions. “Brands today are buying into scale with meaning,” he said.

While reach remains a key driver, it is no longer the sole reason brands are investing. According to Govindan, WPL offers a combination that is becoming increasingly rare in cluttered media environments, mass visibility paired with cultural relevance and engagement.

Govindan said, “The WPL delivers reach, but it also brings strong engagement, cultural relevance, and a progressive brand environment. Our conversations have shifted from selling inventory to helping brands define how they want to meaningfully participate in the league.”

This shift is evident in how brands activate during the season, through contextual storytelling, category-aligned integrations, and associations that feel native to the sport rather than bolted on. Especially as the finals approach, the focus has been on high-impact presence that aligns with the league’s tone and audience sentiment, rather than sheer volume of exposure.

Unified value proposition

Despite the diversity of sectors investing in WPL, Govindan believes the underlying value proposition is consistent.

“Across categories as diverse as FMCG, BFSI, EV and AI, the brands are investing in WPL because it delivers mass reach combined with strong emotional and cultural connection.”

At its core, WPL functions as more than just a sports league. Govindan described it as a platform that allows brands to signal alignment with a changing India.

“As the most powerful women’s cricket platform in India today, the WPL enables brands to associate with progress, aspiration and a modern India.”

That association, he explained, translates into something deeper than short-term visibility.“It offers a rare combination of visibility, trust-building and long-term brand affinity.”

From an effectiveness standpoint, this has changed how success is measured. Brands are no longer judging WPL purely on reach or ratings.

“Brands are looking at a combination of reach, engagement, brand lift, and downstream impact.”

Advertisers are increasingly able to evaluate WPL as a full-funnel platform rather than a top-of-the-funnel splash buy.

“Measurement has become more holistic, with advertisers evaluating how WPL contributes across the funnel rather than as a single-metric play,” Govindan added.

Monetisation model

As both broadcaster and streaming partner, JioStar aims to position linear TV and digital as complementary pillars rather than competing ones.

“Linear TV delivers unmatched scale and shared viewing, while digital enables precision, interactivity, and innovation.” The distinction, Govindan said, is intentional.“Television builds stature and reach, while digital deepens engagement and relevance.”

This combined approach has been particularly important in a season where sponsorship budgets are under scrutiny across sports properties. For Govindan, WPL’s strength lies in its efficiency as much as its impact.

“For marketers looking to optimise spends, WPL represents smart investment rather than discretionary spend,” he said.

“Our WPL pricing was a strategic play to accelerate league growth following the World Cup victory. We kept investment levels optimal to catalyse participation, ensuring brands can enter early and scale alongside the property.”

Govindan explained that the structure was intended to lower friction for partners while maximising the league’s reach and long-term commercial stature.

Looking ahead, he sees WPL’s monetisation moving into a more mature phase.

“The next phase of WPL’s monetisation will be driven by meaningful brand participation, not just visibility.”

As the league evolves, brands will increasingly look to own moments and narratives within it.

“WPL will increasingly be seen as a long-term brand platform, not a tactical sponsorship.”

With the final just a day away, the larger win for the league may lie in how firmly it has established itself as a long-term brand platform.