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Part 1: Premier League in India Fan Engagement Strategy - Personas
A blueprint for turning 100 million Indians into football fanatics — by building infrastructure, not running campaigns
Nilesh Deshmukh
January 12, 2026
💌 Welcome to Game Plan India by The Fan Pulse
Game Plan India is a limited edition series of Fan Engagement topics, which are my commentary and opinions on how International Sports Rights Holders must approach fans in India. The articles are my reflections on how the market has evolved after 8 years of working with Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Sevilla, MLB, and more, with their fan engagement in India.
PREMIER LEAGUE IN INDIA
The audience is already there, but the infrastructure isn't
Source: The fAn Pulse @GIPHY
Every major sports league wants India. Over a billion people. Young population. Rising incomes. Smartphone penetration is rewriting how entertainment works. It's the holy grail.
But here's what most leagues get wrong: They treat India like a market that needs to be sold to. What it actually needs is infrastructure to belong to.
India doesn't lack football fans. It lacks pathways for those fans to go deep. It lacks language that feels like home. It lacks communities where participation feels natural, not performative.
This document outlines how the Premier League can build that infrastructure over the next five years. Not by outspending competitors. By out-designing them.
In India, fandom isn't built through campaigns. It's built through systems.
The Big Reframe
Here's the uncomfortable truth: India doesn't need to be convinced to like football.
Walk into any Tier 2 town. Scroll through ShareChat. Listen in a college canteen. Football's already there. Kids know Haaland. They've seen the Salah goals. They've heard of the North London Derby.
The problem isn't awareness. It's belonging.
Most Indians who could be Premier League fans don't have a clear path in. They don't know where to start, who to follow, or where people "like them" talk about football. They're curious, but the door feels heavy.
So the Premier League's India strategy shouldn't be about pushing content. It should be about building fandom infrastructure.
The platforms, language, creators, and communities that turn casual interest into cultural identity.
This isn't a marketing plan. It's a nation-scale fandom design.
Part 1: The Four Fan Personas (Or: Who Actually Watches Football in India)
Forget demographics for a second. These personas aren't built on age brackets or income levels. They're built on how Indians actually discover and experience football.
Each one needs a different door to walk through.
 | Persona 1: The Mobile-First Heartland Explorer"Football curious, not yet claimed" |
Who They Are
The Opportunity This is 30–40 million potential fans. The single biggest upside market for the Premier League in India. They're not on Twitter debating xG. They're forwarding Haaland memes in WhatsApp groups and watching 15-second explainers on ShareChat. They don't need tactical breakdowns. They need heroes, stories, and permission to care without feeling left behind. What They Need
| How to Onboard Them Phase 1: Discovery (Interest → Familiarity) Meet them where they already scroll. Vernacular short-form content on ShareChat and Moj:
Phase 2: Emotional Hook (Familiarity → Preference) Once they recognise the names, give them reasons to care. Partner with local-language creators to tell player stories. The journey. The struggle. The mentality. No club pressure yet. Just a connection. Phase 3: Soft Belonging (Preference → Identity) Now give them a place. Regional WhatsApp communities:
Match reminders. Polls. Voice notes. Nothing fancy. Just consistency and warmth. KPI that matters: Weekly active participation in chat groups |
 | Persona 2: The Urban Gen Z Social Fan"Football as identity & social currency" |
Who They Are
The Opportunity 20–25 million fans who are already fans. They're just not anchored anywhere. They float between apps, follow multiple leagues, and their loyalty is up for grabs. They don't just watch football. They perform fandom. It's part of how they present themselves online and in friend groups. What They Need
| How to Onboard Them Phase 1: Cultural Entry Go creator-first, not brand-first. Snapchat POV matchday content, quick rivalry explainers, hot takes, and debates. Let creators lead the conversation. The league should amplify, not dictate. Phase 2: Community Lock-In Give them spaces that feel exclusive but accessible. Club-based Discord servers, India-moderated:
Make it feel like their corner of the internet. Phase 3: Status Layer Now reward participation:
Turn engagement into social currency. KPI that matters: Monthly active users per club community |
 | Persona 3: The Hardcore Knowledge Fan"Football is a skill, not just entertainment" |
Who They Are
The Opportunity 5–7 million fans. Small in number, but massive in influence. These are the fans who:
Ignore them, and you lose credibility. Empower them, and they become your unpaid army. | How to Onboard Them Phase 1: Respect the Intelligence Give them what they can't get elsewhere:
Phase 2: Inner Circles Create closed Discord groups, AMA sessions with analysts, and discussions that feel like "backstage access." Make them feel seen. Phase 3: Advocacy Empower them as:
They're not just fans. They're infrastructure. KPI that matters: User-generated content & debate volume |
 | Persona 4: The Lapsed / Passive Viewer"Used to watch, drifted away" |
Who They Are
The Opportunity 10–15 million fans. And here's the thing: they're cheaper to win back than acquire new. They already have the emotional connection. They just need a nudge. What They Need
| How to Onboard Them Phase 1: Memory Triggers "Remember when Rooney scored that goal?" Classic moments. Legendary rivalries. The players they grew up watching. Phase 2: Ease WhatsApp match reminders. Simple highlight recaps. No platform hopping. No subscription fatigue. Phase 3: Social Reconnection Help them make it a family or office ritual:
Make football social again, not solitary. KPI that matters: Matchday return frequency |
The Persona Flywheel (How They Connect)
Here's where it gets powerful:
Hardcore Fans educate → Urban Gen Z
Urban Gen Z influence → Heartland Explorers
Heartland Explorers grow volume → Cultural relevance
Lapsed Fans re-enter → Family & social reinforcement
The Premier League stops being a league and becomes:
A topic
A habit
A shared language
Conclusion: Infrastructure Over Impressions
The race for India isn't won by the league with the biggest billboard. It's won by the one who builds the deepest roots.
The platforms where fans gather. The language that feels native. The creators who become guides. The communities that turn solitary viewing into collective identity.
Every other sports property will try to buy India's attention. The Premier League has the chance to do something smarter: Design the conditions for belonging.
Not through campaigns that fade. Through systems that compound.
The opportunity isn't 100 million customers. It's 100 million storytellers, community builders, and culture makers — if you give them the infrastructure to become one.
Build that, and you won't just win a market. You'll become woven into the fabric of how a generation experiences sport, friendship, and identity itself.
The audience is already there. The only question is: will you build them a home?
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📬 Want More?
Next week’s feature: Part 2: Premier League in India Fan Engagement Strategy (5-Year Execution Plan). Stay subscribed, stay ahead.
✍️ Curated by Nilesh Deshmukh
For the past decade, I’ve explored how sports and culture inspire fan passion — and how to turn that passion into deeper engagement. From the Indian sports business to global football, cricket, and music projects, I share practical insights to help others connect with fans in meaningful ways. Nilesh Deshmukh |
