By Nasir Ali, Founder & CEO, Gallant Sports & Infra
India is experiencing a fitness revolution. From early morning joggers to weekend cyclists, from yoga studios to HIIT workouts – fitness is finally on our nation’s radar. According to the 2024 Amex Trendex survey, 76% of Indian adults have prioritized physical wellness as a top resolution for the year. Among these, 73% aim to eat healthier, 63% plan to engage in more outdoor activities, and 51% intend to acquire home exercise equipment.
Yet, when it comes to playing sports, we’re still holding back. The fields are there, the arenas are coming up, but the participation isn’t keeping pace with the infrastructure being built. The question we must ask is – are we marketing sports arenas the right way?
Sports as Fitness: Still an Underplayed Card
Fitness conversations in India still revolve heavily around gyms, treadmills, and yoga mats. While there’s nothing wrong with these, we’re missing a big opportunity – playing a sport is one of the most holistic and sustainable ways to stay fit. It builds endurance, sharpens focus, improves mental health, and most importantly, brings joy.
But ask any urban Indian adult when they last picked up a racket, played a football match, or rallied on a padel court, and you’ll likely be met with nostalgia, not routine.
Because the truth is – India is still largely a nation of spectators. A 2023 study found that 90% of Indian consumers engage with sports content digitally.
Cricket and Football Still Rule the Roost
Walk into any gymkhana, club, or society in India, and you’ll find the cricket pitch and football ground still doing all the heavy lifting. These remain the default, safe bets when it comes to building sports infrastructure – and rightfully so. Cricket is a religion, and football is gaining incredible traction. The IPL, for example, drew 520 million viewers in 2023.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The global sports landscape is diversifying, and India is starting to catch up. Sports like padel and pickleball are booming in metros. Padel is being dubbed India’s next big urban sport, with over 100 courts across the country. Pickleball, too, has seen a significant increase in participation, with approximately 8,000 players from 17 states now actively engaged in the sport.
They require less space, are easy to learn, and are incredibly social. Yet, they’re still being seen as “alternative” or niche. It’s time to change that.
Infrastructure Is Only Half the Job – The Other Half Is Imagination.
Building world-class sports arenas is step one. We, at Gallant Sports, take immense pride in creating professionally designed, internationally benchmarked sports facilities across the country. But that’s only half the story.
The real challenge? Getting Indians to use them.
India’s urban middle class – is aspirational, brand-conscious, and community-driven. But despite this, the data published in The Lancet Global Health reveals an alarming trend showing that the prevalence of insufficient physical activity in India has skyrocketed from 22.3% in 2000 to 49.4% in 2022. As per the study, if this trend continues, then over 60% of India’s adult population could be unfit by 2030.
Just as popcorn became synonymous with watching a movie – a habit, a ritual – we need to position playing a sport as the natural extension of being fit. We need to rewire the perception of a sports arena from being an elite destination or a weekend hobby to being an everyday lifestyle choice.
Reimagining the Sports Arena Experience
Marketing sports arenas today means creating the same cultural pull that gyms or cafés have. It means leagues for beginners, family play hours, after-office tournaments, and wellness events with sport at the centre. It means influencers rallying on a padel court, corporates bonding over 5-a-side football, and moms trying their hand at pickleball after a yoga session.
It means building a reason to show up, not just a facility.
A Cultural Shift – From Passive to Active
India has no shortage of sports fans. But we now need to convert spectators into participants. Because the real fitness revolution won’t happen in gyms alone – it will happen when people start picking up a racket instead of a remote. When weekend plans include match slots at the arena, not just streaming matches online.
And for that to happen, sports infrastructure companies must move beyond bricks and mortar. We need to tell stories, create experiences, and drive participation. Because every court, every turf, every arena built is a step toward a fitter, happier India – but only if it’s being played on.
We are on the cusp of something special. With the right push, India can move from being a nation of watchers to a nation of players. The demand is there. The infrastructure is coming. All that’s left is to bridge the gap with the right marketing, positioning, and storytelling.
Let’s not just build arenas. Let’s build a culture where playing sports is no longer a weekend activity, but a way of life.
