By October of this year, Dream11 parent company Dream Sports’ sports media startup FanCode plans to close its online sports retail store, FanCode Shop. According to a statement from FanCode, the startup chose to close its sports merchandise division in June and reallocate funds to its main content business.
Reason Behind the Exit from Sports Merchandise
A representative for FanCode stated that this will assist the company in concentrating on its areas of greatest growth and user value. All orders placed during that time will be fulfilled by FanCode Shop, which will remain open until October. ET was the first to report on the development.
Challenges in India’s Sports Retail Market
According to a report by ET, the merchandise industry is facing ongoing challenges with profitability and the unregulated spread of fake goods, both of which have very little room for expansion.
FanCode Shop as a Revenue Stream
The goal of FanCode Shop was to give FanCode, which provides live sports streaming, analysis, and commentary, another source of income. It was established in 2020 and, through alliances with IPL teams, the NBA, international cricket organisations, and top football clubs worldwide, provides official sportswear, fan gear, and memorabilia.
Closure of Real Money Gaming Operations
This comes shortly after Dream Sports closed its actual gaming operations after the Parliament passed the “Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025”. According to Dream11 CEO Harsh Jain, the startup’s 95% revenue vanished overnight as a result of the real money gaming ban.
Shift to FanCode, Dream Money, DreamCricket, and DreamSetGo
The startup will now concentrate on FanCode, the recently launched investment tech product Dream Money, the online game DreamCricket, and the sports hospitality brand DreamSetGo rather than contesting the bill in court.
AI and Future Growth Strategy
Additionally, Dream11 intends to reallocate its resources to AI-powered advancements in fan interactions, merchandise, sports content, and commerce.
To increase its runway, the business will also reduce its investment in partnerships, marketing, and advertising. It also withdrew as the Indian cricket team’s primary sponsor as part of this. Nearly all Indian startups, including Zupee, Paytm, Games24x7, and others, have ceased their real money gambling businesses since the bill’s passage.
Withdrawing as Indian Cricket Team Sponsor
The company has also discontinued its jersey sponsorship of the Indian cricket team and is now concentrating on the development of businesses in sports AI, streaming, and creator-led audience engagement. FanCode is anticipated to play a significant role in this endeavour.
FanCode has expanded as a digital sports destination since its 2019 inception, providing live match streaming, highlights, statistics, and tools for fantasy research. In addition to basketball, racing, and football properties, it has acquired the rights to a number of domestic and international cricket series.
According to IMARC Group, the licensed sports products industry in India was estimated to be worth $1.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $1.5 billion by 2033.
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•Company shifting focus to core sports •Launched in 2020, partnered with IPL •Struggled with profitability issues •Follows Dream Sports’ closure of real |
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