The ROI of In-Stadium Branding vs. Digital Sponsorships in India

In the evolving landscape of sports marketing in India, brands must choose between in-stadium branding vs. digital sponsorships to maximize ROI. While in-stadium branding provides high visibility, digital sponsorships offer measurable engagement and targeted reach.

With sports sponsorship investments in India projected to surpass ₹10,000 crore by 2025, companies are now:

✅ Using in-stadium branding for mass awareness (stadium ads, perimeter boards, jersey sponsorships).

✅ Investing in digital sponsorships (OTT ads, social media activations, influencer partnerships) for trackable ROI.

✅ Adopting integrated sponsorship strategies that combine both for maximum impact.

So, which delivers better ROI— in-stadium branding vs. digital sponsorships in India? Let’s break it down.

📢 The ROI of In-Stadium Branding in Indian Sports

💡 What is In-Stadium Branding?In-stadium branding includes stadium billboards, perimeter LED displays, dugout branding, and jersey sponsorships—seen during live matches, on TV, and inside stadiums.

🔥 Advantages of In-Stadium Branding

• Massive reach during live IPL, ISL, and PKL matches.

• Long-term brand recall through consistent game-day exposure.

• High association with sports culture, increasing credibility.

  
  

📉 Challenges of In-Stadium Branding

• Difficult to track direct ROI as impact is based on exposure, not engagement.

• Expensive sponsorships (IPL perimeter branding costs ₹2-3 crore per match).

• Limited audience targeting—everyone in the stadium sees the ad, but not all are potential customers.

  
  

📖 Read More: The Role of In-Stadium Branding in Indian Sports

📊 Case Study 1: How BYJU’S Used In-Stadium Branding for Maximum Visibility

📌 Brand: BYJU’S (Official Sponsor of Team India)

📌 Strategy:

✅ Invested in Team India’s jersey sponsorship for high-impact visibility.

✅ Focused on national pride & long-term brand association.

✅ Used in-stadium banners at ICC tournaments & bilateral series to reinforce branding.

📌 Results:

✔️ BYJU’S became India’s most recognized ed-tech brand.

✔️ 60% of Indian cricket viewers associated BYJU’S with education tech.

✔️ However, ROI measurement remained a challenge since branding impact was indirect.

📖 Read More: How BYJU’S Leveraged In-Stadium Branding

📢 The ROI of Digital Sponsorships in Indian Sports

💡 What is Digital Sponsorship?Digital sponsorships include OTT streaming ads, social media brand activations, influencer marketing, and interactive campaigns on platforms like JioCinema, Hotstar, and Instagram.

🔥 Advantages of Digital Sponsorships

• Higher engagement & conversions due to targeted audience reach.

• Performance tracking via impressions, clicks, and conversions.

• Lower costs than in-stadium branding with flexible budget options.

  
  

📉 Challenges of Digital Sponsorships

• Requires strong creative execution to grab attention.

• Highly competitive digital ad space, requiring continuous optimization.

• Shorter campaign lifespan compared to stadium sponsorships.

  
  

📖 Read More: The Growth of Digital Sports Sponsorships in India

📊 Case Study 2: How Dream11 Used Digital Sponsorships to Drive Fantasy Sports Growth

📌 Brand: Dream11

📌 Strategy:

✅ Used OTT ad placements on Hotstar & JioCinema during IPL live streams.✅ Integrated with social media influencers & gaming content creators.

✅ Launched interactive fan contests & referral rewards to boost engagement.

📌 Results:

✔️ 30% higher engagement rate than traditional TV ads.

✔️ 10M+ app downloads driven by digital-first marketing strategies.✔️ Lower CPA (cost per acquisition) compared to in-stadium sponsorships.

📖 Read More: Dream11’s Digital Sponsorship Success

📢 In-Stadium Branding vs. Digital Sponsorships – Which Offers Better ROI?

🔹 Use In-Stadium Branding If:

✔️ Your goal is high visibility & long-term brand recall.

✔️ Your brand benefits from mass audience exposure.

✔️ You’re sponsoring national-level tournaments like IPL, ISL, or PKL.

🔹 Use Digital Sponsorships If:

✔️ You need performance-driven, data-backed results.

✔️ You’re targeting specific audience segments based on behavior.

✔️ You prefer lower costs & flexible ad spend options.

🔹 Best Strategy? Integrate Both!

• Example: Tata IPL sponsors use a hybrid model—stadium branding for visibility + digital sponsorships for engagement.

  
  

🚀 How UNPAUZED Can Help

At UNPAUZED, we help brands maximize ROI through:

✔️ Optimized in-stadium sponsorship strategies for mass visibility.

✔️ High-performance digital sponsorship campaigns with measurable results.

✔️ Hybrid sports marketing solutions combining both for maximum impact.

Want to maximize ROI from sports sponsorships? Let’s build your winning strategy—talk to us today.