Singer Sonu Nigam and gamer Scout have joined the Global e-Cricket Premier League as franchise owners for the upcoming third season. This move expands the league to eight teams and highlights the rising interest in India's esports sector. The tournament will feature a total prize pool of Rs 3.1 crore.
Playback singer Sonu Nigam and prominent gaming creator Tanmay Singh, known as Scout, have entered the esports space by acquiring franchise ownership in the third season of the Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL). Nigam has taken ownership of the Kolkata Hawks, while Scout will manage the Gujarat Wolves. This addition brings the total number of franchises in the league to eight, reflecting a continued trend of celebrity and investor interest in the Indian digital gaming market.
League Expansion and Tournament Details
The upcoming season is set to take place from August 1 to August 9 at the Jairaj Sports & Convention Centre in Pune. The organizers, JetSynthesys, have confirmed a total prize pool of Rs 3.1 crore for the competition. The league, which is built around the mobile cricket simulation game Real Cricket, aims to blend mainstream entertainment with competitive digital gaming. Matches will be broadcast on Star Sports and streamed on JioHotstar to reach a wider audience.
Growing Institutional and Celebrity Interest
The GEPL has attracted a diverse group of stakeholders, including prominent names such as Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Lenskart's Peyush Bansal, and actor Suniel Shetty. These investments underscore a shift where established business leaders and celebrities are increasingly backing homegrown digital sports properties. JetSynthesys, the company behind the league, reported that the previous season recorded over 174 million impressions and nearly 910,000 player registrations. Such metrics are often used by organizers to demonstrate the commercial viability and audience reach of the platform to potential sponsors and future investors.
Strategic Implications for Esports
For investors, the entry of high-profile individuals into the esports segment signals an effort to professionalize the sector and improve its mainstream visibility. By combining established figures from music and gaming with an existing cricket-based gaming product, the league seeks to build a sustainable model that attracts both casual viewers and dedicated players. Scout’s involvement, in particular, emphasizes the industry's focus on connecting with the core gaming community, as he has been a long-standing figure in the domestic esports scene.
While the market for esports in India is growing, the financial success of such leagues remains dependent on consistent viewership, sponsorship revenue, and the ability to convert mobile game users into active league fans. Future updates for stakeholders to monitor include the official sponsorship roster for this season and whether the league can maintain its growth in registration numbers compared to its second season. Success in these areas will determine the long-term value of these sports properties as they compete for attention in a crowded Indian digital entertainment space.