Elevator Pitch - What is Fancode?

FanCode, launched in 2019 by Dream Sports, is a sports streaming platform that aims to make lesser-known sports and leagues more accessible and affordable for fans in India. While mainstream coverage is typically dominated by high-profile events like IPL and international cricket, FanCode is filling the gap by offering live streams of niche sports like Formula 1, rugby, and golf, along with lower-league matches. FanCode’s audience has grown to over 100 million users, which speaks to the value it provides to sports fans looking for affordable options outside of top-tier events.

ICP Definition

FanCode’s target customers are sports fans who want affordable access to a broader range of events beyond what’s mainstream. These include both niche sports and domestic, lower-league matches.

ICP 1: Casual Formula 1 Viewers

• Profile: Formula 1 fans who seek live racing content but cannot afford the costly F1 TV Pro, which has payment barriers like the requirement of an international credit card.
• Demographics: Typically between 18 and 45 years old, from both Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
• Source of Awareness: The source of awareness for this ICP is mainly Instagram and Reddit and upto a certain extent Youtube. The best way to reach this audience segment is to engage in Formula one related F1 meme pages or F1 related subreddits.
• Sensitivity to Price and Appetite to Pay: This user profile is somewhat sensitive to price but given that the alternate is F1TV pro the appetite to pay is pretty high and can be leveraged.
• Usage Pattern: The usage is limited to watching races only. This will effectively come down to twice a month, there might be an occasional usage to check statistics and points table as well highlights. The secondary usage will pick-up eventually and only if the secondary is offerings are made richer.
• Sensitivity to Advertisement: This user base is migrating mainly from two sources - TV and Hotstar. Both the mediums have used advertisements successfully without drop in engagement. Therefore the this user segment is not sensitive to a low-medium ad load. A higher ad load will disrupt the user experience and will lead these users to look for illegal alternatives(piracy).
• Preferred Payment Methods and Model: The preferred payment methods for this ICP would be UPI, Debit Card and Credit Card. The preferred model would be a one time purchase which grants full access of F1 related content content for a fixed period of time.
• Time Vs Money: This user segment values Time over Money and that fact can be used in designing features such as - highlight reels, ad loads and placements.
• Competing Sources: There are three competing sources but all of them are incomplete.
• • Youtube: Only highlights. No full races and live races.
  • Reddit: Only highlights, statistics and banter. No full and live races.
  • Piracy: Full and live races but poor quality of experience.
• Motivation: These users want a cost-effective way to watch Formula 1, with both casual fans watching to stay socially engaged and dedicated fans following it as a hobby.

ICP 2: Fantasy Sports Players Tracking Lower Leagues

• Profile: Fantasy sports participants, especially those active on Dream11, who use FanCode to follow players and teams in lower leagues to make better decisions on betting platforms.
• Demographics: Primarily younger sports fans under 35, across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
• Source of Awareness: The source of awareness for this ICP is mainly Instagram. The best way to reach this audience segment is meme pages and influencers who have a content target of 22-28.
• Sensitivity to Price and Appetite to Pay: The sensitivity to price is extremely high in this case. As these users are going to treat this platform as a secondary research medium the appetite to pay is also very low.
• Usage Pattern: The usage pattern is going to very sporadic. There will be periods when leagues of interest are being played and the usage is high. After that the usage will taper down.
• Sensitivity to Advertisement: The user is not that sensitive to medium-high ad load. The advertisement placement is crucial. Poor placement might lead to a drop in engagement and an eventual churn.
• Preferred Payment Methods and Model: The preferred payment method for this ICP would be UPI and Debit Card. The preferred model would be tiered price approach, as the user might only be interested in statistics and secondary information of their chosen league.
• Time Vs Money: This user segment values money over time and this information can be used in designing features like - ad load and placement.
• Competing Sources: The parent company: Dream Sport's main offering Dream 11 is a competition but it is slowly shifting the overlapping content to Fancode in the form of product integrations. Another source is media and forums but all of them are fragmented and none of them covers all the leagues of interest.
• Motivation: These fans seek an easy way to access data on lesser-known leagues, primarily for fantasy sports insights and potential financial gains.

User Goals and JTBD

Lets try to FanCode’s main goals with the "Jobs to Be Done" (JTBD) framework, which will help us to clarify what users are really aiming to accomplish when they use the platform.

ICP 1

Validation:

• Primary: There is clear lack of an affordable way to watch F1 in India, this has been backed by user research. The other options are either 5x more expensive or provide incomplete experience in terms of quality and content.
• Secondary: A fans engagement of a sport is at-least two-tiered experience. In the first experience - the primary we can include the live telecast of the sport, but the second is the community and banter around the sport. This is quite evident in rich conversations and content generation on social media platforms. This a goal that needs to fulfilled and Fancode through its offerings has a potential to partially fulfill this goal.

ICP2

Validation:

• Primary: Fantasy sports players engage in vast range of leagues and sports. Cricket, and that too played by national teams and premier leagues is just the tip of the ice-berg. There is white space here and a job to be done for the users who want to follow the sports and leagues which are not aired on the prime channels of distribution.
• Second: There is functional need for the fantasy sports players to analyze what is the performance along the various aspects of the sports - players, past performances, streaks and environment. This goal is crucial in the sense that it enables the users to back their opinions with facts.

The full teardown can be found here.

Let us now examine the highlights and reiterate what works and what does not.

Discovery and First Impressions

FanCode’s SEO is on point—searches for options to stream sports like Formula 1 in India easily lead users to the platform. This makes for a seamless entry for those specifically looking for niche sports.

• User Feeling: Guided; FanCode seems to meet their need.
• Pain Point: None here; SEO is effective.
• Improvement: None needed.

Home Screen

The homepage, however, hits users with a large ad right at the top, which can be distracting and disrupts the sports content.

• User Feeling: Distracted; initial engagement drops.
• Pain Point: Ad dominates the screen, taking away from the sports content users expect.
• Improvement: Resize or relocate the ad so users focus more on discovering sports.

Login and Sign-Up Flow

The log-in pop-up is simple, but the Google sign-up requires an unexpected permissions pop-up, which can be off-putting.

• User Feeling: Minor frustration.
• Pain Point: Permissions pop-up feels like an interruption and could raise privacy concerns.
• Improvement: Adjust permissions for smoother flow or clarify the reason upfront.

Formula 1 Section Navigation

In the Formula 1 section, the dropdown menu lacks context, making it hard for users to understand the options right away.

• User Feeling: Confused; unsure where to start.
• Pain Point: No images or descriptions make it less engaging.
• Improvement: Use a carousel or icons with short descriptions to add context.

Grand Prix Event Page

The Grand Prix event page is user-friendly, with real-time countdowns and a clear “Get a Pass” option. This page is a clear highlight of the onboarding experience.

• User Feeling: Satisfied; all relevant info is clear and easy to find.
• Aha Moment: This page’s design delivers the value users came for.
• Improvement: None—this page works well as is.

Pricing Page

The pricing page does a great job offering different plans for various users. It’s clear, transparent, and breaks down pricing options effectively.

• User Feeling: Informed; can easily pick a plan that fits.
• Pain Point: None; layout and details are clear and helpful.
• Improvement: None—this is a strong page.

Summary

FanCode’s onboarding is solid, but a few changes could improve flow:

• Replace the large homepage ad with more relevant sports content.
• Refine the permissions pop-up for a smoother sign-up experience.
• Add visuals and descriptions to the Formula 1 dropdown for easier navigation.

These tweaks can create a smoother, more intuitive experience that better supports users' needs and keeps them engaged from the start.

In this section, we’ll define key activation metrics for FanCode based on user actions that indicate early engagement and long-term retention potential. Each metric is hypothesized in terms of specific user actions within a timeframe, showing early signs of commitment to the platform.

Hypothesis 1: Race Pass Purchase within 3 Minutes of Landing on F1 Page

• Explanation: If a user buys a Race Pass within three minutes of arriving on the Formula 1 page, it signals that the value proposition is compelling and that onboarding effectively communicates the platform’s unique offerings. A quick purchase response suggests that the user perceives the content as desirable, the pricing as fair, and the overall setup as seamless. Tracking this metric helps assess the impact of the first interaction and confirms if the platform meets user expectations right from the start.

Hypothesis 2: Watching Two Consecutive Race Streams within the First Week

• Explanation: Users who watch two back-to-back races within their first week are more likely to adopt FanCode as their default streaming platform for Formula 1. This behavior shows a growing interest and intent to follow the sport consistently on FanCode. By tracking this, we can gauge if early interactions with live streams are effectively fostering deeper engagement and habit formation, increasing the likelihood of user retention over the season.

Hypothesis 3: Tour Pass Purchase within 7 Days of Watching Two Races

• Explanation: A Tour Pass purchase shortly after watching two races suggests that the user is ready to commit to the platform long-term. This is a sign of high engagement, indicating that the user intends to follow multiple races or even a full season. Measuring this conversion rate provides insights into how effectively the platform nurtures initial interest and turns it into long-term value.

Hypothesis 4: 2 Hours of Highlight Watch Time within the First Month

• Explanation: Users who watch two hours of highlights in the first month are likely using FanCode as their go-to platform for secondary content. This behavior indicates that the user values catching up on the action beyond live streams, enhancing the overall engagement and retention. Tracking cumulative highlight watch time helps measure interest in extended content and serves as a positive signal of ongoing platform use.

Hypothesis 5: 30 Minutes Browsing Points Table and Stats within the First Month

• Explanation: Spending 30 minutes on stats and points tables within a month suggests that users are engaged beyond passive viewing. This deeper interaction points to a more involved consumption pattern, often associated with fantasy sports players and dedicated fans. Monitoring this metric can highlight how well the platform supports users in staying informed, making it a preferred destination for sports analysis and engagement.

Metrics to be Tracked

To support these hypotheses and gain a deeper understanding of user engagement, the following metrics will be tracked. Each metric connects back to the activation hypotheses and supports insights into how well FanCode’s onboarding drives early engagement and long-term retention.

Cumulative Live Watch Time

• Argument: Cumulative live watch time directly relates to Hypotheses 2 and 3, as it tracks engagement with core content. Users watching multiple race streams or purchasing a Tour Pass demonstrate active commitment. High cumulative watch time shows users are forming a habit of watching events on FanCode, a strong indicator of retention potential.

Cumulative Highlights Watch Time

• Argument: Linked to Hypothesis 4, cumulative highlights watch time captures how often users return for secondary content, indicating ongoing interest. High highlights watch time suggests users see FanCode as more than just a live-streaming platform, increasing the likelihood of retention through varied content engagement.

Cumulative Non-Streaming Time

• Argument: This metric supports Hypothesis 5, tracking time spent on features like stats and tables, which appeal to fantasy sports players and serious fans. Non-streaming engagement shows that users are going beyond passive viewing, indicating that FanCode successfully meets a broader range of user needs and reinforces platform stickiness.

Average Session Length on Event Days

• Argument: Hypotheses 2 and 3 imply that users following race events (especially live) are forming strong habits on FanCode. Longer session lengths on event days indicate deep engagement, suggesting that users are satisfied with the experience and are likely to return for future events.

Average Session Length on Non-Event Days

• Argument: Tracking engagement on non-event days relates to Hypotheses 4 and 5, as it captures interest in highlights and stats. If users still engage actively on non-event days, it suggests that the platform provides ongoing value, helping to reinforce loyalty and bridge engagement between live events.

Number of Different Sports Engaged With

• Argument: This metric supports the overall platform engagement and retention, revealing whether users who started with a primary interest (e.g., Formula 1) begin exploring other sports. Higher engagement across multiple sports indicates FanCode’s potential as a go-to platform, which encourages retention through varied content options.

These activation metrics and supporting data points help create a comprehensive view of how effectively FanCode’s onboarding fosters user commitment, guiding optimization for long-term retention.