Havas Play partners with sports marketing agency, Gameplan Sports

The partnership will entail managing athletes and major sports leagues in cricket, football, badminton, kabaddi, tennis, and others.

Havas Play, the sports, entertainment, and content agency of Havas Media Network India, has entered a strategic partnership with the sports marketing company, Gameplan Sports, which will bring together the expertise and capabilities of both agencies.

The partnership will entail managing athletes and major sports leagues 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.

We're excited about this new venture, Rana Barua, Group CEO of Havas India, said. At Havas India, we always put our clients first and tailor our ecosystem to empower them. Earlier this year, Havas launched a new global agency called Havas Play. It unites sports, content, culture, and entertainment expertise under one agency. In India, the booming sports sector is becoming increasingly crucial for brands and marketers, but it's still 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 in creating distinctive and impactful opportunities for brands and businesses.

Jeet Banerjee, director of Gameplan Sports, and R Venkatsubramanian, president of investments at Havas Media India and MD of Havas Play, will collaborate to construct and build this strategic alliance and jointly pursue this new venture.

Mohit Joshi, CEO of Havas Media Network India, said that the Indian sports sector is currently doing well with more interest and funding, resulting in double-digit growth and a larger sports budget this fiscal year. He said there are many opportunities for brands and marketers that they can explore with Havas Play and Gameplan coming together. This alliance will also make it easier for their clients to get tailored business solutions through sports properties and unique Ips.

Jeet Banerjee, director, Gameplan Sports, 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.”