Twenty First Century Media announces foray into eSports business, launches TCM eSports

MUMBAI: Twenty First Century Media (TCM), a full-service sports marketing and management company, has launched a new eSports marketing division – TCM eSports.
The new division will create engagement opportunities for brands and publishers to reach out to a vast majority of eSports fans who do not watch TV.

As per global data measurement agency Nielsen, gaming in India has grown by 24% in June versus pre lockdown period.

“As people continue to practice social distancing and stay home amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, mobile gaming has become a preferred pastime for not just entertainment but also social connection,” said Lokesh Sharma, managing director, TCM.

“There is a widening of the digital media landscape and the rise in popularity of mobile gaming, eSports, influencer-marketing, digital videos that provide huge digital audiences,” he added.

TCM already holds exclusive ground rights across various cricket stadiums in India and globally. Outside India, TCM holds the exclusive naming, sponsorship, and in-stadia rights across New Zealand Cricket, Cricket West Indies and Asia Cup tournaments (Asian Cricket Council). Besides this, TCM has on-ground partnerships with the cricket boards of South Africa, Bangladesh, England and Australia.

“The average weekly time spent for gaming in India stands at a whopping 3 hours and 7 minutes. This creates a great opportunity for brands that want to reach, engage and create a sustainable relationship with an otherwise hard to reach the audience and for sports properties that want to groom and engage the next generation of their fans,” said Basant Dhawan, CEO, TCM.

Experts believe that whether it’s any of the established domestic leagues in India or an incipient sports property, eSports will become a major fan engagement tool for traditional sports to reach and engage this young, digitally savvy consumer.

TCM eSports has also been appointed as the knowledge partner for the upcoming India Gaming Summit, scheduled from July 28th to 30th.