Sports marketing sector in India -Challenges & supportive initiatives

This paper examines the challenges faced by sports marketing sector in India and highlights the need for application of supportive innovative initiatives to boost sports marketing sector. Sports goods industry is a growing industry in India and the industry is branching out with sports apparels, sports equipments and sport goods etc. Sports and physical activities have become commercial and recreational activities and millions of people across the country are eager to follow sports as a career. The growing popularity of sports is due to increasing health consciousness and dietary awareness among people of all ages. As sporting activities are increasing the need for sports grounds, sports equipments, sports goods are also in high demand. This has created market avenues for sports related goods.But the sports goods manufacturing units are less, centralized only in northern India and the demand is not met because of several shortfalls. Sports marketing in India are centred in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab hence there is a need for decentralization. Indian government needs to design new strategies to decentralize sports goods manufacturing sector. State Governments can make further supportive policies towards setting up sports friendly manufacturing units as start ups and make in India concepts.