PUMA teams up with Leading Ladies across sectors like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vineeta Singh & Mary Kom for a Game-Changing Campaign to Celebrate Women Athletes this WPL season

High octane campaign features – Kareena Kapoor Khan, Masaba Gupta, Vineeta Singh, Faye D’Souza & MC Mary Kom – and champions the cause of women supporting women’s sports

Just in time for Women’s Premier League (WPL), Sports Brand PUMA India has launched a blockbuster campaign film featuring the dynamic lineup of Kareena Kapoor Khan, Masaba Gupta, Faye D’Souza, Mary Kom, and Vineeta Singh. The campaign aims to galvanize support for women’s cricket and foster a culture of women supporting women.

Cricket has long been dubbed a “gentleman’s game,” but PUMA shattered that stereotype when it launched India cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur as its brand ambassador a year ago and coined the new phrase – Cricket is Everyone’s Game.

Why? Because the numbers don’t lie. Women’s cricket receives just 1/8th of the viewership enjoyed by men’s cricket, as per official digital viewership data of 2023. This stark reality is fueled by the fact that only 18% of women who watch men’s cricket, watch women’s cricket. PUMA’s latest campaign film with the star-studded lineup of influential women states this hard-hitting insight and sparks a dialogue to unify women to bolster women’s sports.

PUMA ambassador and actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has been contributing immensely to the world of cinema and is now leveraging her influential voice to make a change in the sports industry.

Kareena Kapoor Khan, who fronted the campaign, said, “India has seen some significant performances by our female athletes recently but there is so much more scope for it to be brought out with more glory. While cricket is a religion in our country – the spotlight, the viewership, the fanfare – is markedly lesser in women’s cricket when compared to men’s cricket. Personally, cricket as a sport has always been close to my heart, it runs in our family and now we own a team as well so it’s even more special. I’m glad that a brand like PUMA has identified this need and come forward with this stand-out campaign to increase the participation of female viewers in women’s cricket. Let’s come together and join PUMA to bring the much-needed change.”

Fashion designer and actor Masaba Gupta chimed in, “Female athletes serve as powerful role models for girls and young women. Supporting women’s sports fosters a sense of community and inclusion by bringing people together to celebrate athletic achievements regardless of gender. Through this campaign with PUMA, we aim to revolutionise women’s cricket and I hope to see many women to be part of this historic movement.”

Vineeta Singh, cofounder of SUGAR Cosmetics, concluded, “I am honored to stand alongside formidable women in supporting PUMA’s groundbreaking #CricketIsEveryonesGame campaign at the Women’s Premier League. Being an entrepreneur, I have faced barriers and I understand the power of breaking them. It’s disheartening to witness the vast viewership gap between men’s and women’s cricket, and we are committed to changing that narrative which goes beyond the boundaries of the sports arena; it’s about empowering women, fostering entrepreneurship, and boosting the sports economy.”

Faye D’Souza, Founder and Editor, Beatroot News, said, “By rallying for increased viewership in women’s cricket, we are not just cheering for the players on the field but also fuelling a larger movement that can profoundly impact the sports industry as a whole. We invite all women from all walks of life to join us for a transformative Ladies’ Night in New Delhi on March 10. Let’s fill the stadium, not just with spectators but with the spirit of change.”

Six-time world champion & PUMA ambassador Mary Kom said, “Having support from fans when you’re playing always motivates the athlete to perform better, be it in the ring or on the cricket pitch. Watching sports live also inspires the younger generation and creates a deep sense of community. Encouraging more women to watch the game will not only increase its viewership but also help the growth of the sport. I’m excited to be part of PUMA’s Ladies’ Night and urge everyone to join us in this revolutionary movement.”

Commenting on the occasion, Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director, PUMA India, said, “As the country’s leading sports brand, PUMA has been a long-standing driver of change in shattering gender biases and championing women’s sports. Traditionally, women in the country have not been encouraged to watch and embrace sports as men have. Now that is the need of the hour. We are at the turning point to create an equitable sporting landscape and women need to watch women’s sport in order to drive change.”

Karthik added, “As we launch this campaign today, it is heartwarming to have India’s leading women such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vineeta Singh, MC Mary Kom, Masaba Gupta and Faye D’Souza, use the power of their voice and platforms to address this cause. Cricket is Everyone’s Game and as a brand we have been advocating it from the time we on boarded Harmanpreet Kaur with an award-winning social experiment. We are confident now that this remarkable collaboration will further the narrative, level the playing field, increase fandom and create inspiration for the future generation of women athletes.”