Women in cricket are the new face of the endorsement industry.

Women's cricket was hardly discussed until a few years ago, but today it is thanks to the Women's Premier League (WPL) and companies who have stepped forward to support it through endorsement and sponsorship arrangements.

Large sponsors like the TATA Group and Amul have supported WPL. With each match costing Rs 7.09 crore, Viacom18 paid Rs 951 crore for the five-year broadcast rights. According to reports, the Women's Premier League is, behind the Women's National Basketball Association in the United States, the second most costly women's sports league in the world. Thanks to digital viewing methods, women's cricket has also attracted a respectable fanbase.

We asked experts for their opinions on how businesses could effectively utilize these great players and whether the growth in brand value for female cricket players was a temporary phenomenon.

Creating "Stars"

Samit Sinha, managing partner at Alchemy Brand Consultancy, claims that the WPL is enhancing the brand value of women's cricket players in India by making them more well-known. "The WPL's debut and the media buzz around it will surely increase the public's awareness of women who play cricket, not just among Indian women but also among players in the league from other nations. This, in my opinion, is a big move for India in terms of elevating the brand values of sportswomen in general. However, they have earned less on average from participation and brand endorsements than their male colleagues.

Business strategist and angel investor Lloyd Mathias expanded on the development of celebrity personas. "I consider it (the founding of WPL) to be a very encouraging sign. It sort of conveys the value of women's cricket. Hence, in a way, it will bring a lot of visibility to the sport and to women's cricket. Overall, I believe that will attract customers' interest as well as that of businesses and brands. Hence, I believe it to be a positive step that will advance women's sports generally. It shows, in my opinion, that women's sports are here to stay.

Cricket players like Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur have made headlines for all the right reasons, according to Mathias. "Around 10 years ago, few people were familiar with the names of female cricket players. Most people today can name a good number. So, there will be increased media coverage, competitions, and commercialization. This will give women's sports in general a major boost. And it will undoubtedly produce a lot more stars in cricket.

WPL cricketers will soon become well-known figures, according to Arshi Yasin, CEO & Co-Founder of The Bridge, a publication specializing in women's sports. "In our nation, whether for men or women, cricket leads the path for other sports. So, the WPL is unquestionably the starting point and the first step in the development of women in sports. It's a move that will benefit a vibrant and diverse sports ecosystem.

Yasin added that more female cricket players will now be seen in marketing advertisements as a result of the sport's growing popularity.

Company Talk

The WPL will do for female cricket players what the IPL did for male players, according to Shreya Sachdev, Head of Marketing at PUMA India. "From 2009 to 2022, the brand value of the men's IPL and the male cricketers that play in the league increased by an astounding 318%. PUMA's brand equity has benefited from its partnership with the men's squad of Royal Challengers Bangalore, strengthening our dedication to promoting sports culture in the nation. We are optimistic that the WPL will similarly increase the brand value of cricket players, and our partnership with the RCB women's team will undoubtedly help us maintain our growing momentum as the nation's top sports brand. We consider the WPL to be a long-term investment that significantly furthers our goal of assisting female athletes in sports including cricket, boxing, track and field, football, and hockey.

Lakshmi Narayanan B, CMO - CEAT Ltd, a prominent figure in the world of sports endorsement, stated, "Cricket fans in India link CEAT and Strategic Time Out. We recognized a significant opportunity to expand this long-standing affiliation to include the women's elite league. CEAT is passionate about cricket, and as women's cricket gains popularity in the nation, we are thrilled to be a part of this new paradigm that puts us in touch with our customers."

When asked about the impact of the WPL on the contribution of female players to advertising spending, Mathias responds, "I think this is a leg up, it'll always depend on the relevance of the sport. Cricket, then, must be significant. Yet, even in the past, when P V Sindhu won an Olympic medal, interest spiked. The same thing happened when Sania Mirza won doubles and grand slam titles. Every time a sportswoman succeeds, I believe there is a lot of talk about it. Yet the fact that a team sport like cricket is receiving so much attention is quite encouraging. It will undoubtedly catch the eye of brand marketers and businesses.