Manifest Play is a half-day summit scheduled for 9th April 2025 to be held at MCA in BKC, Mumbai.

According to a Google and Deloitte report, India's sports ecosystem is poised to reach USD 130 billion by 2030. While cricket continues to prevail, 90% of fans embrace multi-sport consumption. Kabaddi and football are also growing, and given the recent emergence of sports like padel and pickleball, along with the ongoing Kho Kho World Cup, interest in sports is at an all time high.

Manifest Play aims to help brands and media prepare for the future, while celebrating the best work in the sports marketing arena over the last 13 months.

The confirmed speakers for the summit include (to be updated):

Preeti Jhangiani Co-founder, Pro Panja League
Namrata Parekh Co-founder & Director, Meraki Sport and Entertainment CEO - Emami East Bengal FC
Ramakrishnan R Co-founder and Director, Baseline
Gaurav Bahirvani Founder, One One Six Network
Manasi Narsimhan Communications, fundraising and strategic partnerships head at CEGIS
Jatin Paranjape Member - BCCI, Cricket Advisory Committee, CEO and founder, Khelo More
Shubhranshu Singh Chief marketing officer, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles
Ajay Dang President, head-marketing, UltraTech Cement
Nikhil Sachdev Co-Founder & Head of Marketing, Brand Development, and Strategy at PadelPark India
Suhail Chandhok CEO, U Mumba
Tarun Jha Head - marketing, JSW Steel
Rana Barua Group chief executive officer, Havas India, South East and North Asia (Japan and South Korea) Havas Group
Aditya Oza Co-founder and chief marketing officer, Emotorad
Chintan Shah Director content management, Sportz Interactive
Monish Shah Founder and CEO, DreamSetGo
Venke Sharma Former global product strategy head, Sprinklr

More speakers will be revealed in due course.

For speakership, sponsorship and awards related queries write to

sanjyot@manifest-media.in and nishika@manifest-media.in.

CATEGORIES 2025

Best Promo

Cricket this category will recognise the best promo for a cricket tournament/match on air across TV/OTT/Radio/Print. Football this category will recognise the best promo for a football tournament/match on air across TV/OTT/Radio/Print.

Best brand integration

Broadcast This category recognises and rewards the best brand integrations within broadcasts on sports tournaments on TV/OTT/Radio. On-ground This category recognises and rewards brand integrations between brands and sporting events on-ground.

Best marketing for a sports IP

Awards in this category will be based on the best marketing of a sports IP. Please note that this will be based on the budget the IP has to spend, and not just on the scale of the event.

Best new sports IP of the year

This is to reward and recognise the best new sports property of the year. Jurors will be judging this category based on the popularity and buzz the tournament gauged in its inaugural edition.

Best IP of the year

This is to reward and recognise the best sporting property of the year. Jurors will be judging this category based on the popularity of the IP and how it grew in the eligible period versus the year before.

Best sponsorship of a tournament

This analyses the best sporting sponsorship of a tournament. This could be a lead sponsor or any other partner tag. It's about how the brand leveraged the association with the tournament.

Best sponsorship of a team

This analyses the best sporting sponsorship of a team/franchise. This could be a lead sponsor or any other partner tag. It's about how the brand leveraged the association with the team.

Best eSports IP

This will recognise the best eSports property created with a focus on participation and brand interest garnered.

Best eSports brand integration

This will reward the agency/brand that has most effectively leveraged eSports to reach out to its audience.

Best sports podcast

This category looks into the best podcasts/online chat shows in the sports space.

Best TV broadcast channel

This is awarded to a channel with the best portfolio of content across sports with proof of coverage of how each was covered. This includes new deals secured as well as old deals extended, best packaging of sports on TV.

Best OTT Platform

This is awarded to an OTT platform with the best portfolio of content across sports with proof of coverage of how each was covered. This includes new deals secured as well as old deals extended, best packaging of sports on the medium.

Sports PR campaign of the year

This will award and recognise the best PR campaign for a sporting event/initiative.

Best talent partnership

This is to be entered by talent management companies. In this category a talent management firm can list a partnership it facilitated with an athlete and a brand. Winners will be basis how the sporting talent echoes the brand message. A talent management company can list multiple partnerships as separate entries.

Best use of an athlete(s) in a promo

This category is open for agencies to enter and rewards the best use of an athlete in a commercial.

Best Commentator - English

This is awarded to the most impactful English-speaking commentator across sports in India. This is open to OTT/TV/Radio commentators.

Best Commentator- Hindi

This is awarded to the most impactful Hindi-speaking commentator across sports in India. This is open to OTT/TV/Radio commentators.

Best Commentator - other language

This is awarded to the most impactful non-English and Hindi commentator across sports in India. This is open to OTT/TV/Radio commentators.

Best Sports Editor

This is awarded to the best sports editor across languages. The jury will be looking to reward the editor with the best viewpoints as well as accurate reportage.

Best brand ambassador for a sporting event

This is for sporting leagues/tournaments hiring brand ambassadors and how he/she was leveraged to garner interest around the sport.

Best influencer partnership with a sporting event

This is to recognise and reward an influencer who has partnered with a sporting event to promote it. Jurors will be looking for fan engagement with the influencers' posts.

Sports PR person of the year

This award will recognise the best PR person related to a sporting activity during the eligibility period.

Agenda

Timing	Session
4.30 PM	Registration opens.
5.00 PM	Start of Summit.
5.05 PM	Opportunity for sports outside of cricket: Panelists - Suhail Chandhok (Kabaddi), Preeti Jhangiani (Arm Wrestling), Nikhil Sachdev (Padel). Conversation spearheaded by Chintan Shah (Sportz Interactive)
5.30 PM	Monish Shah, CEO, DreamSetGo, in conversation with Rana Barua, group chief executive officer, Havas India, South East and North Asia (Japan and South Korea) Havas Group, about the growth of sports other than cricket.
5.40 PM	Unveiling of a report by Havas.
6.00 PM	Talent and how brands can leverage them in the right way. Panelists - Namrata Parekh (Meraki), Ramakrishnan R (Baseline Ventures), Gaurav Bahirvani (One One Six). Conversation spearheaded by Havas Play's Arun Rao.
6.25 PM	How are brands effectively using sports to reach out to their TG? Panelists - Aditya Oza (Emotorad), Ajay Dang (Ultratech), Shubhranshu Singh (Tata Motors), Tarun Jha (JSW Steel). Conversation spearheaded by Manasi Narasimhan (CEGIS)
7.00 PM	Fireside chat with Jatin Paranjape (former Indian cricketer and founder, Khelomore)
7.15 PM	Break and bar opens.
7.45 PM	Awards begins with the AV.
7.55 PM	Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media India's welcome note.
8.00 PM	Awards start.
8.45 PM	Awards ends, dinner, networking and celebration of Manifest turning one.