RCB, RR, LSG and more teams forge partnerships with influencers to score off the field ahead of Tata IPL 2024

The anticipation is palpable as the Indian Premier League (IPL) gears up for its much-awaited kickoff on March 22, 2024. Regarded as one of India's most monumental sporting extravaganzas, the premier league captures the attention of diverse sectors, including restaurants, brands, and food delivery platforms.

From last year, there’s a new trend seen in IPL franchisees, as the teams are now forging partnerships with content creators and influencers to amplify engagement across their social media pages. Recognising the popularity of the tournament on social media, franchisees are looking to harness it and interact with their fan base through influencers and content creators.

Cricket aficionados are often interested in knowing about their favourite players in the off-the-field world. As a result, the cricket franchisees are now competing not just on the field but also in the online arena.

While many teams opt for uploading humorous reels featuring the creators, other teams are also looking to follow a different approach by uploading content showcasing practice sessions, behind-the-scenes dressing room conversations, and players interviewing each other about their match performances.

Here’s a list of creators/influencers partnering with IPL franchises:

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

LSG has partnered with Shubham Gaur, famous for doing topical comedy on Instagram. The influencer is engaging with fans by creating funny reels with the players.

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

In the previous edition, Rajasthan Royals partnered with Taran Singh, an influencer famous on Instagram for his cricket player enactments and dubbing skills.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

Danish Sait, also known as Mr. Nags, has been in a longstanding partnership with RCB.

His character is renowned for asking quirky one-liners and putting the cricketers in uncomfortable situations with his questions.

Punjab Kings 

In this edition, the team has collaborated with two stand-up comedians, Piyush Sharma and Jasmeet. Together, they are creating humorous reels featuring the players.

Gujarat Titans (GT)

In the previous edition, GT partnered with Tanvi Shah, a former Indian tennis player, for the anchoring role. She was referred to as a ‘GT insider’. On the YouTube channel, she was seen interacting with players and coaches of the team.

Delhi Capitals (DC) 

The team has partnered with Vibhu Varshney, an influencer famous for making funny reels. He created a humorous reel after the announcement of Rishabh Pant, who is fit to play in this edition. The player had been involved in an accident in December 2022.

Other teams like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders are not heavily relying on influencers, as they already boast star power within their teams.

Chennai Super Kings, led by MS Dhoni, is the most followed team on Instagram with 14 million followers, followed closely by Mumbai Indians with 12.5 million followers. RCB has around 12.3 million followers, followed by KKR with 4.4 million followers.