September 12, Mumbai, 2023: Havas Play, the sports, entertainment, and content agency of Havas Media Network India, has entered a strategic partnership with one of the oldest sports marketing companies in the country, Gameplan Sports Pvt. Ltd, which aims to bring together the expertise and capabilities of both agencies.
The partnership will entail managing athletes, major sports league in cricket, football, badminton, kabaddi, tennis, table tennis, golf, marathons, chess, and others. It will also include sports events like tournaments, competitions, exhibitions, matches, displays and more. The alliance will also include sports media services like media consulting, strategy, execution, sponsorship, and creating IPs in the space of Content and Entertainment.
Talking about the new venture, Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, said, “At Havas India we place our clients at the heart of our growth journey. Our ecosystem is built and tailored to meet their business needs and to empower them. Earlier this year, Havas launched a new global agency Havas Play – uniting sports, content, culture, and entertainment expertise under one agency. In India, the booming sports sector, which goes much beyond cricket, has become increasingly crucial for brands and marketers and is quite under leveraged. Havas Play along with Gameplan will help brands explore the vast potential of this untapped market. This makes us a formidable player creating distinctive and impactful opportunities for brands and businesses.”
Jeet Banerjee, Director, Gameplan Sports Pvt Ltd and R Venkatsubramanian, President – Investments, Havas Media India and MD, Havas Play will collaborate to construct and build this strategic alliance and jointly pursue this new venture.
Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India, said, “The Indian sports sector is currently thriving with a surge in interest and funding, reflected in double-digit growth and an increased sports budget this fiscal. This underscores the growing opportunities which are lying untapped. With Havas Play and Gameplan coming together, brands and marketers can explore their unique capability to leverage this burgeoning market. This alliance further strengthens our meaningful media capability to provide tailored business solutions to our clients, through sports properties and unique IPs.”
Jeet Banerjee, Director, Gameplan Sports Pvt Ltd, said, “Gameplan is one of the oldest sports marketing companies in the country. We turn 25 this year and have left our footprint across several verticals in the sports industry. Our legacy spans across numerous sectors within the sports industry, catalysing innovations that have since become industry standards, from revolutionary 3D signage to transforming chess into a riveting spectator experience. Beyond sports, we’ve ventured into literature, cinema, and the arts over the past decade, notably shaping the cultural landscape with the Kolkata Literary Meet, a cornerstone event on India’s cultural calendar. We take pride in our agility, innovation, and boundless imagination. In collaboration with Havas Play, we embark on an exciting journey, leveraging their extensive activities and cross-market exposure. Together, we aim to elevate our existing intellectual properties and forge powerful new ventures in sports and beyond.”
