Revenue Growth Strategy | Delhi Capitals

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Revenue Growth Strategy | Delhi Capitals

Problem Statement:

Build a revenue growth strategy to take Delhi Capitals revenue from 367 crore to 450 cr.

IPL teams generate revenue through six primary streams:

Broadcasting Rights
Merchandising
Ticketing
In-Stadium Revenue
Sponsorship
Prize Money

While broadcasting rights, ticketing, and prize money contribute substantial and relatively stable revenue, the greatest growth opportunities lie in merchandising, sponsorship, and in-stadium revenue. However, due to operational limitations associated with in-stadium revenue, merchandising and sponsorship present the most significant potential for unlocking further revenue growth.

For sponsorships, creating a digital IP is essential; without it, there is limited scope for expanding sponsorship opportunities. This emphasizes the immense potential that merchandising holds for driving revenue growth.

Merchandising

Idea:

Making Delhi Capitals a fashion-forward brand among Gen Z and Millennials by tapping into the growing intersection of sports and fashion also allows the DC to capitalise on the merchandising potential.

Why fashion forward:

Globally, sports fashion is rapidly on the rise, particularly football jerseys, which have become fashion statements and collectables, often worn by top celebrities across the globe.

Top football clubs like AC Milan, PSG, and Real Madrid have capitalized on this trend with their successful partnerships with Off-white, Jordan and Y3 respectively and even smaller clubs like Venezia FC have gained popularity for their stylish jerseys, despite their performance on the field. PSG's partnership with Jordan has become a massive success, pulling in significant media attention and revenue annually.

By capitalizing on this shift, I want to position Delhi Capitals as not just a cricket team but a brand that resonates with the style-conscious Gen Z and Millennials.

This trend was further picked up by Adidas with its launch of a vintage jersey collection ahead of the 2024 Euros and Copa America tournaments

Ideal customer profile

ICP Persona: Rohan, a 28-year-old software engineer from Mumbai. He’s a passionate IPL fan who loves cricket and fashion. Aryan enjoys mixing his love for the game with his style, favouring trendy, exclusive merchandise over sponsor-heavy jerseys. He prefers limited-edition items and is willing to spend ₹2,000-₹10,000 on high-quality, fashionable gear that he can wear beyond just match days.

Aryan shops mostly online, following his favourite IPL team and fashion influencers for product drops. He’s financially secure, using UPI or credit cards for purchases, and occasionally considers EMI for pricier, exclusive items. His social, urban lifestyle means he’s looking for versatile pieces that reflect his love for cricket while being fashionable enough to wear to work or social gatherings.

What motivates Aryan is a sense of exclusivity and status. He seeks stylish merchandise that’s clean, minimalistic, and not overrun with sponsor logos. Aryan is also influenced by behind-the-scenes content and player stories, making him a prime target for year-round engagement from IPL teams, not just during the season.

Attribute	Description
Demographics
Age Range	16-35 years
Gender	Primarily male (60%) but increasing female interest (40%), especially for lifestyle merchandise
Income Level	Middle to upper-middle class; disposable income for lifestyle products
Location	Metro and Tier 1 cities (e.g., Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai); potential in Tier 2 cities (e.g., Pune, Lucknow)
Education Level	College students, young professionals, and early-career corporate workers
Psychographics
Interests	Cricket, sports culture, fashion, celebrity culture, and social media influencers
Lifestyle	Active lifestyle; follows sports for entertainment; socially connected; highly engaged on social media
Values	Seeks self-expression through fashion; values brand association with celebrities, athletes, and exclusive products
Purchase Motivation	Aspires to be part of the cricket culture; wants trendy, stylish clothing that reflects their love for the game
Brand Affinity	Loyal to high-street fashion brands (e.g., Adidas, Nike), Indian designers (e.g., Manish Malhotra), and online brands
Financial Behavior
Spending Capacity	Moderate to high spending capacity: willing to spend ₹2,000-₹10,000 per item, especially for limited-edition merchandise
Purchase Behavior	More likely to purchase during the IPL season, exclusive drops, or special occasions like sales, discounts, or festivals
Payment Preferences	Prefers online payment options like UPI, debit/credit cards, and wallets (e.g., Paytm, PhonePe); open to EMI for higher-priced items
Financial Decision-making	Takes pride in investing in trendy and exclusive merchandise; values products that provide status, style, and longevity
Discounts/Offers Sensitivity	Responds well to limited-time offers, early-bird discounts, and exclusive member deals but not overly reliant on discounts
Behavioural
Shopping Preferences	Prefers online shopping through e-commerce platforms (e.g., Myntra, Amazon); influenced by social media ads and influencers
Purchase Frequency	Shops for fashion and lifestyle products regularly, particularly around IPL seasons or exclusive drops
Spending Habits	Willing to spend on limited-edition or exclusive merchandise (₹2,000-₹10,000 for a jersey, shoes, or accessories)
Brand Interaction	Highly active on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter; engages with sports content and follows influencers related to cricket
Technology Adoption	Tech-savvy; uses smartphones for online shopping, social media, and sports updates
Goals and Challenges
Goals	Wants to own fashionable, exclusive merchandise that’s stylish enough to wear beyond cricket matches
Pain Points	Existing jerseys are overly commercial and filled with sponsor logos, making them unattractive for casual wear
Perceived Value	Values limited-edition items that combine fashion with sports fandom; looking for good quality and design
Preferred Product Features
Product Style	Trendy, minimalistic design; branded but not overly commercial (minimal logos); high-quality materials
Customization	Limited-edition designs or collaborations with fashion designers; unique styles that stand out from generic cricket jerseys
Product Range	Jerseys, hoodies, caps, sneakers, and accessories (e.g., bags, watches, etc.)
Marketing Channels
Social Media Platforms	Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat
Influencer Marketing	Follows popular influencers in sports, fashion, and lifestyle
Advertising Preferences	Engages with video content, behind-the-scenes clips, and social media collaborations
Events	Engages with sports-related events, online contests, exclusive drops, or pop-up stores

How:

The best way to move forward is via Partnership where the other partner brings in their creative prowess, distribution and manufacturing. We will collaborate with them to create a "limited" edition clothing line specifically for the upcoming IPL season. This clothing line will be:

Exclusive: A limited edition that generates hype and becomes collectable.
Fashionable: With an emphasis on modern streetwear aesthetics.
Culturally Relevant: Targeting fashion-conscious fans and non-fans who are influenced by global trends.

Potential Partners:

H&M
Bluorng
Manish Malhotra
Sabyasachi
USPA

Partner Fitment Test (Scoring: Yes - 1; Maybe - 0.5; No - 0)

Questions you should ask	H&M	Bluorng	Manish Malhotra	Sabyasachi	USPA
Is our goal aligning?	1	1	0	0	1
Do we have customer requests?	0	0	0	0	0
Does our ICP match?	1	1	1	1	1
Will our brand image improve?	1	1	1	1	1
Do our brand values match?	1	1	0	0	1
Will the partnership let me tap into a new audience?	1	0.5	1	1	1

Bluorng presents a good case to partner with but given their current size it could very well present distribution challenges.

Partnering with H&M does have its positives and they do have: ✅fashion appeal has the ✅skill to optimise at scale has ✅Offline and online presence ✅Experience of doing such partnership at scale (Formula 1 x H&M)

Will H&M partner with Delhi Capitals? Do they even need it?

H&M is recognized as the largest fashion brand in India by revenue, achieving sales of ₹2,960 crore in the financial year 2022-23. This represents a remarkable 40% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, H&M is widely regarded as holding the largest market share in India's fast fashion sector.

In comparison, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail reports an annual revenue of approximately $400 million, equivalent to around ₹3,300 crore.

As H&M continues to expand rapidly in India, this partnership presents a significant opportunity for growth. Collaborating with India's most beloved property, cricket, will enhance H&M's visibility and brand association during the IPL season. This association allows H&M to be at the forefront of consumer attention, as every brand aims to capitalize on the heightened interest and engagement during the IPL.

Partner Responsibilities

H&M will handle the creative development, design, and manufacturing of the apparel line. They will also contribute to distribution via their online and physical stores.
Delhi Capitals will provide access to players, utilise their existing marketing channels to promote the collection and he need be provide the resourcefulness.

Product Innovation

Every item in the Delhi Capitals x H&M collection will come with a unique QR code, bringing back the thrill of rewards just like GPay's popular scratch cards. Each scan guarantees a surprise for the user, creating an exciting and engaging experience.

Rewards range from:

A personalized video message from a Delhi Capitals player (powered by AI, similar to Zomato's Mother's Day campaign).
Exclusive invitations to dinner with the team.
VIP hospitality tickets for match days.
Free match day tickets.
Special discount codes from Delhi Capitals' sponsors and partners.

With every purchase, fans not only get a stylish, limited-edition piece but also a chance to win unforgettable experiences.

The QR will also tell the person that he/she belongs to a secluded percentage of the population who has that clothing piece.

The message will read like this: You are now part of 0.3% of the Indian population who have this.

(Optional) Furthermore, the clothing article itself will bear the numbering i.e. 750th piece, 520th piece. Thus increasing the value of the product which has special numbers.

GTM Strategy

Concept: Make the noise so loud that people have to hear you. The launch strategy is derived from Terence Reilly's teachings of making a product go viral.

Objective: Make it go viral

PRE-LAUNCH

Stage1: The leak

Objective: Build curiosity and create early buzz.
Tactics:
- A few subtle leaks via media outlets at a major collaboration between Delhi Capitals and a fashion brand.
- Media reports on an upcoming "big reveal" from Delhi Capitals, generating anticipation.

Stage 2: The tease

Objective: Gain momentum.
Tactics:
- Official social media handles of Delhi Capitals and the partner brands release teaser videos, cryptic posts, and sneak peeks.
- Behind-the-scene video of Rishabh Pant driving an army tank is put out for an ad shoot to get out.

Stage 3: Official announcement

Delhi Capitals make it official and announce the release date
A high-energy fashion show featuring celebrities and athletes. The show could be in similar lines to that of iconic Victoria's Secret shows. Diljit Dosanjh/Karan Ajula could be the artist to perform at the event given their vibe match with both the parties involved.
(optional) Post-show once the collection is revealed a waiting list is opened. The waiting list will remain open for three days, and direct people to go to a store to collect their items. The objective is to get people lined up outside the stores generating more media chatter and hence creating FOMO.

POST-LAUNCH

The idea is to keep the messaging subtle and let it naturally gain traction.

Stage 4: Bollywood comes in

Celebrities wear the collection styled differently and get spotted like usual in their life. Paparazzi follows them extensively and their videos do gain a lot of traction, especially their airport looks. If Anushka Sharma or Ranbir Kapoor can be tapped in for this it is guaranteed to create waves.
This will done with a broader base of celebrities with just a few at the top of the ladder.
We will leverage Instagram pages like Viral Biyani, Voompla etc. which have millions of followers and their videos command very good traction

Stage 5: Influencers come in

The objective is to Drive user-generated content (UGC) and viral engagement on social media with female influencers making videos of getting the collection, standing outside the store to get it and then making a styling video.
When the trend picks up, the smaller influencers will pick up.
Top YouTubers can also be approached to make an appearance on their video wearing the collection, e.g. Samay Raina wearing it in his show India's Got Latent, Tanmay Bhatt wearing it in his IPL meme reaction video, Raj Shamani wearing it in his podcast, Mostly Sane and Sana Grover wearing it in their vlogs.

Stage 6: Make it even more cooler.

Getting music artists to wear the jersey just ups the notch of coolness as they are considered aspirational by a big strata and is a proven way of getting the hype if possible getting a US artist to wear the clothing article just takes things to the next level thanks to US pop culture having an extraordinary soft power in India.
If we could get Coldplay to wear it at his India show, it'd be really good.

Content

The following content ideas can be executed to gain traction both for Delhi Capitals and H&M.

Announcement video: Rishabh Pant driving a tank in the Thar Desert.
David Warner goes on for a hot lap around the BIC in Noida in a Ferrari. (Big Boyz toys will help with the car).
Photoshoot with high-end cars, bikes or Fighter jets around Delhi's iconic areas.
Photoshoot with players riding horses in Ladakh.
Behind the scene videos
Delhi commute challenge: Get players to reach from point A to Point B, e.g. Humayun's tomb to Saket's H&M store using a minimum of 3 transportation modes.
5 fans compete in a treasure hunt inside the Arun Jaitely stadium on match day to find different H&M products, the winner gets to meet the DC top performer of the day.
Trick shot challenge: The batter and bowlers indulge in different trick shot challenges, e.g. 5 players compete to put a ball in 3 boxes put at the other end of the ground, the ball needs to be hit with a bat.
Adventure: 7 players play box cricket on the stadium roof.

UGC focus

We’ll create a dedicated Instagram page exclusively for showcasing everyone spotted wearing the Delhi Capitals x H&M collection. Fans can tag the page and be added as collaborators if they're wearing the collection in their posts, giving them instant visibility.
This page will turn the collection into a social badge—being featured will become a status symbol. Owning and wearing the collection not only adds to their style but also earns them a spot in this exclusive community, building hype and fostering a sense of belonging.
This also helps in fashion adaptability with people being seen wearing at different venues like clubs, concerts, offices, cafes etc.

Metrics to track

Percentage growth of brand lift.
Percentage growth of followers across all platforms.
Percentage growth (YoY) in average viewership of Delhi Capitals matches.

Revenue projection

The final revenue figure can only be determined after discussions with the H&M team regarding product pricing and the partnership agreement on revenue sharing. However, if I assume that this entire activity contributes an additional 10% to their gross sales, it could generate a revenue pool of ₹300 to ₹350 crore, which will then be split as per the agreed terms.