The Broadcasting Battle: How Non-Cricket Sports Are Reinventing Themselves in India
Capital is certainly one of the most important thing, for any Sports Entity to Operate you certainly need Money at your disposal.
Indian Sports is certainly dominated by Cricket where 90-95% broadcasters are engaged in this popular domain.
When it comes to Non Cricket, still it is a daunting challenge for broadcasters and Sponsors to invest money on it.
In order to catch eyeballs of broadcasters in Racquet sports which include- Badminton , Table Tennis and Squash have tweaked their rules in order to make it more eye pleasing for Broadcasters and Stakeholders who will invest money on it.
Badminton which operated via 21 set each and later tweaked into 15 set each to make game time lesser and making it more compact and engaging from broadcasters point of view.
Badminton as Sport has huge potential in Asian Market, all they need is little bit tweaks and everthing falls in place.
When it comes to Table Tennis, they have also moved away from 21 point system to 11 points.
The purpose again tweaking these point system is to make game “Faster, sharper and more exciting for fans worldwide”
There have been several tweaking and twist done in order to attract more eyeballs and make it more user friendly.
More Eyeballs, a better TV Product and Greater Commercial Value lies at the heart of these tweaks and trims.
Harsh Thawani, Founder of Nimbus Communications, whose NEO Channels broadcast multiple sports said “Badminton has slight disadvantage as compare to Tennis even the rules have been tweaked as it lacked Global audience big time.
He further added “Despite tweaking the rules wouldn’t play part in backing broadcasters for TV, as they need the game is quite fast and they need breaks in between in order to build better storytelling format in order to engage more viewers”
Unlike other racquet sports, Tennis have kept the rules intact, and there isn’t a change in scoring system, still it generates massive viewership and audience comes in huge numbers to watch this iconic sport.
When we talk about Table Tennis, Many People associated with ecosystem believes that ITTF and WTTF have done great job when it comes to extending popularity in South East Asia, India still have lot of catching to do.
“At the end of the day, you have to make good product on TV”
When it comes to Table Tennis matches are thrilling, all we need better storytelling, fan engagement and quality of commentary and broadcasting.
Also storyelling should not be limited to players stories but it should also be related to people around that ecosystem should also love this sport.
They would only start loving this sport only when nuances are build around it .
Former Badminton Coach U Vimal Kumar, is not happy when it comes to tweaking in rules and regulations as he believes that it will kill beauty of this popular sport.
Overall, India has a market to adapt other sports and help them big time when it comes to other sports they need some better planning and tweaks in rules and regulations will make it more innovative and interesting.
| Topic | Key Insight |
|---|---|
| Importance of Capital in Sports | Capital is one of the most important aspects for any sports entity to operate successfully. |
| Cricket’s Dominance in India | Indian sports broadcasting is heavily dominated by Cricket, with nearly 90–95% of broadcasters focused on the sport. |
| Challenge for Non-Cricket Sports | Non-cricket sports continue to struggle in attracting broadcasters and sponsors for investment. |
| Racquet Sports Adaptation | Sports like Badminton, Table Tennis, and Squash have tweaked their rules to make the games more broadcaster-friendly and engaging. |
| Badminton Rule Changes | Badminton shifted from the traditional 21-point set system to experiments with 15-point games to reduce match duration and improve viewing experience. |
| Objective Behind Badminton Tweaks | The aim was to make the sport compact, engaging, and commercially attractive for broadcasters and stakeholders. |
| Potential of Badminton | Badminton has huge growth potential in the Asian market if supported with better strategic tweaks and promotion. |
| Table Tennis Rule Changes | Table Tennis moved from a 21-point system to an 11-point format to make matches faster and sharper. |
| Goal of Rule Modifications | The central idea behind these changes was to create a faster, exciting, and globally appealing TV product. |
| Commercial Thinking Behind Tweaks | More eyeballs, stronger TV products, and better commercial value are at the heart of these rule changes. |
| Harsh Thawani’s Opinion | Harsh Thawani, Founder of Nimbus Communications, stated that Badminton still lacks a truly global audience compared to Tennis. |
| Broadcasting Concerns in Badminton | According to Thawani, broadcasters prefer sports that allow breaks for storytelling and advertising integration, which fast-paced Badminton struggles to provide. |
| Tennis’ Strong Global Appeal | Unlike other racquet sports, Tennis has retained its traditional scoring system yet continues to attract massive global viewership. |
| Table Tennis Growth in Asia | Many stakeholders believe that ITTF and WTT have done a commendable job in growing Table Tennis in South East Asia. |
| India’s Gap in Table Tennis | India still has significant ground to cover in making Table Tennis a mainstream spectator sport. |
| Importance of TV Product | Stakeholders believe that ultimately success depends on building a strong and engaging television product. |
| Need for Better Storytelling | Table Tennis requires better storytelling, stronger fan engagement, quality commentary, and improved broadcasting standards. |
| Ecosystem-Based Storytelling | Storytelling should not only focus on players but also on coaches, support staff, fans, and the wider ecosystem. |
| Building Emotional Connection | Fans start loving a sport when emotional nuances and deeper narratives are built around it. |
| U Vimal Kumar’s Stand | Former Badminton coach U Vimal Kumar believes excessive rule tweaking may damage the beauty of the sport. |
| Overall Conclusion | India has a strong market for non-cricket sports, but better planning, innovation, storytelling, and selective rule changes are necessary for long-term growth. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Why are racquet sports like Badminton and Table Tennis changing their rules for broadcasters?
Racquet sports across the world are constantly evolving in order to survive in a highly competitive sports broadcasting market. In countries like India, where Cricket dominates nearly 90–95% of sports viewership and sponsorship revenue, other sports are forced to innovate to stay relevant. This is one of the biggest reasons why sports like Badminton and Table Tennis have tweaked their rules and scoring systems over the years.
The primary objective behind these changes is to make matches shorter, faster, and more engaging for television audiences. Broadcasters prefer sports that can hold audience attention consistently while also fitting into a compact programming schedule. A shorter and more intense format increases the chances of viewers staying connected throughout the match. This directly improves advertising opportunities and commercial value for broadcasters.
For example, Badminton experimented with reducing match duration through shorter point systems, while Table Tennis shifted from the traditional 21-point system to an 11-point format. These changes were introduced to increase excitement, create more pressure moments, and make the viewing experience sharper and more thrilling.
However, rule changes alone cannot guarantee popularity. Experts from the sports broadcasting industry believe storytelling, commentary quality, fan engagement, and emotional narratives around athletes are equally important. Unlike Tennis, which has maintained its traditional format and still enjoys massive global appeal, sports like Badminton and Table Tennis are still trying to build a larger international audience base.
At the end of the day, sports administrators are attempting to create a product that works better on television while also attracting sponsors, investors, and younger audiences worldwide.
2. Can better storytelling and broadcasting help non-cricket sports grow in India?
Yes, better storytelling and high-quality broadcasting can play a massive role in helping non-cricket sports grow in India. While India has a huge appetite for sports content, most of the attention continues to revolve around Cricket because of its strong emotional connection with fans, established stars, and decades of television exposure.
Many experts associated with racquet sports believe that the biggest missing element in sports like Table Tennis, Badminton, and Squash is not talent, but storytelling. Fans do not only connect with the action happening on the court; they connect with the struggles, journeys, sacrifices, rivalries, and personalities behind the athletes. This emotional attachment is what transforms a sport into a mainstream entertainment product.
In sports like Tennis, global stars have become brands because broadcasters successfully created narratives around them. Their victories, defeats, comebacks, and personalities are marketed consistently. Non-cricket sports in India still lack this ecosystem-driven storytelling approach.
Industry experts also believe commentary quality, camera presentation, production standards, and audience engagement need significant improvement. Broadcasters must make viewers feel emotionally invested in the sport. Stories should not only focus on players but also on coaches, support staff, academies, fans, and grassroots systems that build the sport.
When audiences start understanding the nuances and emotional depth of a sport, viewership naturally increases. Better television presentation can eventually attract sponsors, advertisers, and commercial investments. India already has a strong market and a young audience base that is willing to explore new sports. With smarter broadcasting strategies, innovative storytelling, and stronger fan engagement, non-cricket sports can definitely build a larger and more sustainable future in the country.
