Premier League's India Strategy: A Complete Fan Journey Guide

💌 Welcome to Game Plan India by The Fan Pulse

Game Plan India is a limited edition series of Fan Engagement topics, which is 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 Premier League's India Play: More Than Just Football

Introduction

India isn't just another market for the Premier League—it's a massive opportunity hiding in plain sight. With an estimated 155 million Indians tracking Premier League teams and players, the country represents one of the league's most strategic growth frontiers. The proof? In April 2025, the Premier League opened a dedicated office in Mumbai, signalling that this isn't a casual experiment—it's a long-term commitment. From trophy tours featuring club legends to grassroots coaching programs that have been running since 2007, the PL is building something far bigger than just a broadcast deal. This is about creating a football culture from the ground up, and the numbers suggest they're onto something big.

Why India Matters: The Market Snapshot

The Scale Is Staggering

India's football fanbase isn't just large—it's massive and growing fast:

• 138.7 million football fans were recorded in India as of 2024, according to Nielsen data

• 71 million viewers tuned in to Premier League matches during the 2023-24 season on Star Sports and local partners

• 155 million Indians actively follow or track Premier League teams and players, making India a top-tier strategic market

• India's total sports audience sits somewhere between 600-680 million people, showing enormous multi-sport crossover potential

The Premier League's Ground Game

The league isn't just broadcasting matches and hoping for the best. They've built real infrastructure:

• Mumbai office (2025): A dedicated local hub for partnerships, grassroots development, fan engagement, and sponsor servicing

• @PLforIndia social channels: The India-specific Instagram account has roughly 2.1-2.2 million followers, creating a strong owned-audience foundation

• Premier League Live events: Week-long fan festivals in Mumbai featuring the trophy, club legends, and immersive experiences

• Local content strategy: Publishing in both English and Hindi to connect with diverse audiences across the country

Who's Watching: The Audience Profile

Geography: Where the Fans Are

The Premier League's strongest footholds are in India's major metros:

• Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune

• These cities are ideal for event targeting, out-of-home advertising, and nightclub watch parties

Demographics: Who's Tuning In

• Age sweet spot: 15-34 years old, with Millennials and Gen Z driving the fastest growth

• Gender dynamics: Male fans still dominate core engagement, but women's interest is rising rapidly, especially through the family-entertainment angle

• Consumption habits: Live TV remains king for big matches (group viewing, AV quality), but streaming and short-form clips drive discovery and social buzz

Engagement Behaviour: How They Interact

• Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has a massive uptake in India and acts as a high-value retention tool

• The broader Indian fantasy sports market (Dream11, MPL, etc.) is projected to be worth billions, though regulatory risk around money-based gaming remains a watch-out

• Fans are active on social media, love sharing clips and reactions, and are hungry for localised content

The Fan Journey Map: From Awareness to Advocacy

Here's a detailed breakdown of how to guide someone from "What's the Premier League?" to "I bleed club colours."

Stage A: Awareness (Reach)

Objective: Get on the radar of non-football or casual sports fans

Touchpoints:

• TV promos on mass channels

• Short social clips and celebrity tie-ins

• OOH advertising near malls and metro stations

• OTT homepage takeovers with regional language creatives

Content that works:

• "What is the Premier League?" explainers

• Best goals compilations and celebrity reactions

• Local language promos and player personality shorts

Activation example: Partner with broadcasters for 30-second matchday trailers + regional influencer reaction series

KPIs to track: Impressions, new app/site visitors, trailer completion rates, brand awareness lift

Stage B: Consideration (Interest)

Objective: Turn casual awareness into regular viewership for marquee matches

Touchpoints:

• Extended highlights and curated "best of" playlists

• Match previews with local commentary options

Content that works:

• "Top 5 matches to watch this month"

• Club rivalry explainers

• 'How to follow FPL' guides in regional languages

Activation example: City-level fan nights in multiplexes paired with influencer match-watch livestreams

KPIs to track: Time spent on platform, repeat visits, social saves and shares

Stage C: First-Time Engagement (Trial)

Objective: Get them to watch a full match or join Fantasy Premier League

Touchpoints:

• Easy-access streaming (free highlights + one free live match)

• FPL onboarding tutorials

• WhatsApp forwarding packs for watch parties

Content that works:

• Simplified match rules

• Local watch party kits

• "How to play FPL in 90 seconds" videos

Activation example: Free TV window with social "watch together" reminders

KPIs to track: Conversion from preview to full match view, FPL signups, watch-party registrations

Stage D: Repeat Engagement (Habit Formation)

Objective: Convert occasional viewers into weekly followers

Touchpoints:

• Personalised match alerts

• Weekly localised recaps and club-specific newsletters

• Push notifications for favourite players

Content that works:

• Weekly "Local Fan Digest" by the club

• "Player of the Week" shorts in Hindi or Tamil

• Curated tactical explainers

Activation example: City leaderboards for FPL with physical rewards like merch or meetups

KPIs to track: DAU/MAU ratios, session frequency, week-to-week retention

Stage E: Fan Identity & Monetisation

Objective: Deepen fandom and drive revenue through merch, events, and premium content

Touchpoints:

• Official club stores

• Ticket pre-sales for India events

• Premium content and membership offers

Content that works:

• Long-form documentaries on club legacy

• Player interviews

• Behind-the-scenes with Indian youth talents

Activation example: Limited-edition India club shirts, VIP match viewing trips, co-branded sponsor offers

KPIs to track: Merch revenue, membership uptake, average revenue per user (ARPU)

Stage F: Advocacy

Objective: Turn fans into ambassadors who create content and recruit others

Touchpoints:

• UGC contests

• Community manager programs

• Local fan club support kits

Content that works:

• Reposting user-generated content

• Spotlighting fan stories and local heroes

Activation example: Incentivised refer-a-friend programs for FPL leagues, UGC challenges with rewards

KPIs to track: Referrals, UGC volume, Net Promoter Score (NPS)

The Bottom Line

The Premier League's India strategy isn't just smart—it's comprehensive. They're not treating India like a passive audience that will simply consume content. Instead, they're building infrastructure, creating local touchpoints, investing in grassroots development, and crafting a fan journey that meets people where they are.

With 155 million Indians already tracking the league and a dedicated Mumbai office coordinating local efforts, the foundation is solid. The real opportunity lies in execution: expanding into regional languages, lowering barriers to entry, gamifying engagement through fantasy leagues, and empowering local fan communities to become self-sustaining ecosystems.

India's football culture is being written right now. The Premier League is positioning itself to be a major author of that story—and if they play their cards right, this could become one of their most valuable markets for decades to come.

If you liked this article, do read/subscribe to/my sportsnexus newsletter, where I write about the cultural angle of sports business, regional features, quick takes and more.