Mumbai: U Mumba, backed by eight brands, has garnered maximum sponsorship with a valuation increase of 60 per cent in the latest edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. Amassing these sponsorships is a testament to the growing stature of Brand U Mumba and the strong appeal and vision that the Mumbai team has in Kabaddi across India.
U Mumba had signed top sports news portal Melbat Live as its title partner and has partnered with Macho Hint as it's powered by Partner, a millennial and Gen Z-focused brand in the innerwear category which is a sub-brand category from the stables of the renowned brand, Macho.
For the associate partner category, U-Mumba has onboarded six brands led by Rajdhani Besan, pioneers in producing agro-food products in India, along with pioneering construction firm Je & Vee Infrastructures, and internationally acclaimed beauty, skincare, personal care, and cosmetic products manufacturer Vi John.
Great White Electricals, innovators in the home electrics space, the Indian Public Sector Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, and the well-renowned footwear brand, Abros Shoes are all also donning the Mumbai colours in Season 10.
U Mumba CEO Suhail Chandok commented on the team's high marketability, saying, "We are thrilled to welcome some new distinguished partners & the return of a couple too, to the U Mumba family. United by a shared vision of the brand's identity, values, offerings, and success, we are confident that we will be able to elevate and inspire brand loyalty for U Mumba to new heights. We have a strong vision in place for the growth we want to see for our team and the trust placed in us by these esteemed brands is a testament to the value we have meticulously built over the years, showcasing the power of brand recognition. Our Indian sport of Kabaddi has truly taken the world by storm and continues to be a trusted vehicle for brands that need a targeted platform to reach a massive consumer base that is pan-India.”
U-Mumba has also forged collaborations with 92.7 Big FM; Nivia, a noteworthy homegrown sports brand; Swades Foundation, a premier NGO in Mumbai; Fast&Up, a foremost nutrition provider and Baller Athletik, India's pioneer in energy-enhancing transformative clothing as promoting partners for the season.
According to the ‘India Sports Sponsorship Report 2023’ by GroupM, Sports Sponsorship in India recorded a figure of Rs 5907 Cr ($Mn 748) in 2022 with a growth of 105 per cent. Emerging sports witnessed an overall revenue of Rs 1503 Cr ($Mn 190), which in YoY terms represents an incremental value of Rs 829 Cr ($Mn 104).
U Mumba is set to take on Telugu Titans next in their Pro Kabaddi League match in Noida on the 30 of December before the Pro Kabaddi caravan moves to Mumbai for U Mumba's Home leg starting on the 5 of January.
Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India stats showed the opening weekend of PKL Season 10 alone witnessed 80.1 million viewers, clocking a 32 per cent increase from the 2022 season, with consumption increasing by 27 per cent to 2.7 billion minutes over just the first four matches.
