India’s sports economy to hit $8B by 2029 driven by streaming, gaming & ads

India’s entertainment and media industry is entering a decisive phase of evolution, with OTT streaming at the centre of this transformation.

According to PwC’s latest Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2025–29 (India), the country’s OTT streaming market, currently valued at approximately $2.3 billion, is expected to grow to nearly $4 billion over the next five years. This growth will be driven by a potent mix of digital adoption, regional content expansion, and shifting consumer behaviour.

This expansion is not merely incremental. It signals a structural shift in how Indian audiences discover, consume, and pay for content, positioning streaming as a foundational pillar of the country’s broader media economy.

“Sports sits at the intersection of streaming, advertising, and gaming, and is rapidly emerging as a high-value commercial asset,” PwC’s analysis noted. India’s sports economy, estimated at around USD 5 billion today, is projected to scale to nearly USD 8 billion by 2029. The report highlights growing interest in sports media rights, digital fan engagement, and live experiences, which are increasingly attracting institutional and private equity investments.

For streaming platforms, live sports remain one of the most powerful drivers of subscriptions, engagement, and advertising premiums. The digitisation of sports consumption—from live streaming and highlights to fantasy sports and esports integrations—is transforming leagues and franchises into year-round content engines rather than seasonal properties. This convergence is reshaping how value is created and captured across the media and sports ecosystem.

OTT streaming in India has moved well beyond its early, experimental phase. What began as a supplementary alternative to linear television has matured into a mainstream entertainment medium with deep penetration across urban and semi-urban markets, the report observed.

PwC attributes this sustained growth to the rise of mobile-first viewing, improving broadband infrastructure, and an expanding universe of regional and vernacular programming that resonates with India’s linguistically diverse population.

Monetisation models are also evolving rapidly. Platforms are increasingly adopting hybrid strategies that combine subscriptions, advertising, and bundled offerings. This flexibility has enabled streaming services to balance affordability with scale, while continuing to attract premium advertisers seeking targeted, data-driven reach. As competition intensifies, platforms investing in differentiated content, intelligent recommendation engines, and seamless user experiences are expected to capture disproportionate value.

Growing Digital Advertising

If streaming is the consumption engine of India’s media future, internet advertising is its primary fuel. PwC projects internet advertising revenues to more than double over the forecast period, rising from around USD 6.25 billion in 2024 to over USD 13 billion by 2029, making it the fastest-growing segment in the Indian entertainment and media landscape.

In 2024, digital advertising pocketed nearly half of the ad dollars, as per the Pitch Madison Annual Report. It is expected to rise further at the cost of traditional media.
This surge reflects a decisive reallocation of marketing budgets toward digital channels offering precision targeting, measurable outcomes, and real-time optimisation.

Social media, short-form video, influencer marketing, and programmatic advertising are becoming indispensable tools for brands seeking to engage India’s predominantly young, mobile-native audience.

For OTT platforms in particular, advertising-led and hybrid models are emerging as powerful levers to unlock mass-market scale without undermining user acquisition.

Rise of eSports and Gaming

Alongside streaming, gaming and esports are redefining audience engagement by shifting consumers from passive viewing to active participation. PwC forecasts that India’s gaming market will grow from approximately USD 2.7 billion in 2024 to nearly USD 4 billion by 2029, driven largely by mobile gaming, affordable data, and an increasingly sophisticated player base.

What makes gaming strategically significant for media companies is its convergence with advertising, content, and community. In-game advertising, branded experiences, and esports tournaments are creating new monetisation avenues while deepening user loyalty. As Indian audiences spend more time in interactive digital environments, gaming is fast emerging as a complementary growth engine for OTT platforms, advertisers, and sports franchises alike.

Traditional Television: Resilient, Not Redundant

Despite the rapid ascent of digital platforms, traditional television continues to play a significant role in India’s media economy. PwC projects TV revenues to grow from nearly USD 14 billion in 2024 to over USD 18 billion by 2029, underlining its enduring relevance, particularly in regional and mass-market segments.

However, television’s future growth will increasingly depend on its ability to integrate with digital ecosystems. Broadcasters that successfully link linear programming with OTT extensions, catch-up services, and digital advertising solutions will be better positioned to sustain relevance and monetisation in a fragmented viewing environment.

Youth-Driven Media Economy

Underlying these trends is India’s demographic advantage. With over 900 million millennials and Gen Z consumers, the country represents one of the world’s largest digitally native audiences. PwC estimates that India’s overall entertainment and media industry will expand from USD 32.2 billion in 2024 to USD 47.2 billion by 2029, growing at nearly twice the global average rate.

This growth is being shaped by personalisation, data intelligence, AI-driven content discovery, and creator-led ecosystems that are redefining how stories are told and monetised. For businesses operating across media, sports, and technology, the opportunity is clear—along with the imperative to adapt.