It was one of the last players to enter the fantasy arena, but Fantasy Akhada has been successful in wooing masses beyond India's metro cities
What leads to a deeper engagement in any kind of activity? Well, it can be a cause, vision or a mission. But if you want to know what drives higher engagement of fans in any sports, Sumit Kumar Jha has an unconventional answer: Money. He explains by taking you back to your school, college or good-old office days before the pandemic. “Do you remember how friends or colleagues used to indulge in all kinds of bets?” he asks. “It was not gambling,” underlines the co-founder of Fantasy Akhada, a two-and-a-half-year-old fantasy sports startup that caught the attention of millions when it roped in cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle as its brand ambassador in September 2020.
(This story appears in the 17 June, 2022 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)