On the back of reaching the final of the previous season of the IPL the franchise Punjab Kings is targeting strong momentum. On the sponsorship front Nippon Paint India is now the franchise’s Official Partner for IPL 2026. The Nippon Paint logo will feature on the right sleeve of the Punjab Kings jersey across every match of the tournament – placing the brand in front of one of the largest, most engaged sporting audiences on the planet.
While central revenue is key the aim of the franchise is to grow local revenue as that is what helps create value. Another aim of the franchise is to build a year round relationship with fans.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman
Q. There were media reports not long ago over disputes within PBKS owners over stake sale. What is the current situation regarding the arbitration?
There are no disputes within PBKS owners over stake sale.
Q. There is a point of view that if any franchise gets a $2 billion valuation then exit. Your views?
$2 billion is a very good valuation for any team. Exit depends on owners perspectives.
Q. Currently what is the valuation of PBKS?
It will depend on what RCB and RR sells at. But all teams at around the $2b level.
Q. CVC Capital Partners sold a majority stake in Gujarat Titans to Torrent Pharma an over 40 percent valuation jump. Other franchises are looking to fully exit or sell part stake. Is limited team availability putting the owners in the box seat?
Limited team availability will always be there. Presently all teams don’t play all teams Home and away. Unless the window gets longer there will be no new teams.
Q. One potential issue moving forward could be the consolidation in media with Jiostar. Sony is cautious. Do you see the media rights fee staying flat as a result? Or do you expect to see OTT platforms like Netflix, Prime Video jump into the fray?
By all means you will see new players. OTT platforms are likely to jump at the same time, interest in live sport is expanding globally. Platforms are increasingly recognising that sport drives both reach and retention. So it’s reasonable to expect OTT players to evaluate participation over time.
What will change is the approach—more ROI-led, more structured bidding—but the underlying demand remains strong.
Q. Is the RMG ban another challenge for the IPL and sports in general in terms of fan engagement? Did you support the Government’s move?
That category had scaled rapidly, so its absence creates a visible gap. But it also opens the market to more diverse and sustainable categories, which is healthier in the long run.
From a fan perspective, engagement remains unaffected. Cricket fandom is driven by performance, access, and storytelling—not by advertiser categories.
Q. Are we in a permanent situation where local revenue is just the cherry on top for all franchises? Will 75 percent revenue come from the central pool for PBKS this season?
The central pool remains the foundation of the IPL model—it provides stability and visibility of earnings which is rare.
However, the next phase of growth for franchises lies in expanding controllable revenues—sponsorship, ticketing, hospitality, and fan monetisation.
Local revenue is not just the cherry on top anymore—it’s the primary lever for value creation.
While the central pool will continue to be a significant contributor, the ambition is to increase the share of franchise-driven revenues over time.
Q. For this season does PBKS expect a sizeable jump in terms of revenue, profitability, fan connect etc as a result of finishing in the runners-up position last year?
A strong on-field performance creates clear commercial tailwinds—better pricing power, stronger partner interest, and deeper fan connect.
We do expect a positive impact across revenue and engagement. However, the focus is on converting that momentum into sustained growth.
That means:
- Improving the quality of partnerships
- Driving repeat fan engagement
- Strengthening monetisation across platforms
Performance creates attention.
Q. JioStar has done a lot of tech innovations, grown the language feeds. How has that helped build stronger fan engagement?
The shift has been from a traditional broadcast to a more immersive, personalised viewing experience.
Language feeds and interactive formats have made the game more accessible and relevant to a wider audience.
For franchises, this helps convert passive viewers into more engaged and emotionally invested fans, especially across diverse geographies.
Q. The other big shift in fan engagement will be the use of AI by franchises to reimagine the experience. Gemini is a partner of the BCCI. What are PBKS’ plans in the AI area?
AI will play a significant role in shaping the next phase of fan engagement.
The opportunity is to move from mass communication to personalised interaction at scale.
Our focus areas include:
- Smarter content creation and distribution
- Personalised fan journeys
- Better decision-making across commercial and engagement touchpoints
The shift is from scale-driven to intelligence-driven engagement.
Q. Will PBKS adopt a data driven strategy to deepen fan relationships and will online personalisation play a crucial role in growing the ecosystem? Using first party data you can now go beyond anonymous vanilla reach.
Yes, this is a key focus area.
The ecosystem is moving from anonymous reach to identifiable and measurable fandom.
First-party data allows us to:
- Understand fan behaviour more deeply
- Deliver more targetted communication
- Improve retention and monetisation
Owning fan relationships will be a key competitive advantage going forward. And first party data through franchisee App and Whats App will take front seat and creating App exclusive content is key to this.
Q. Will PBKS build and improve its offers and loyalty programmes; Memberships to try and forge a lifelong fan bond as opposed to an on and off relationship with fans?
There is a clear opportunity to move from seasonal engagement to year-round relationships.
Memberships and loyalty programmes help create:
- Continuity
- A stronger sense of belonging
- More consistent interaction with fans
The long-term goal is to build a community, not just an audience.
Q. Wordwork was roped in two years back as the PR partner. How effective has the partnership been in raising the profile of the franchise so far and managing the message?
The partnership has helped bring greater structure and consistency to our communication.
Over time, alignment improves and storytelling becomes sharper. This allows the franchise to be positioned beyond results—towards strategy, culture, and long-term vision.
Consistency in narrative is key to building credibility, and that’s where the partnership has added value.
Q. On the sponsorship front beyond money does PBKS look at other factors like brand synergy before signing deals?
Beyond financials, strategic fit is critical.
We evaluate partnerships based on:
- Brand alignment
- Audience relevance
- Activation potential
The most successful partnerships are those where both sides collaborate to create value, rather than just exchange visibility.
Q. In the past PBKS players have appeared in a show ‘Bigg Boss’. This year what media opportunities are being looked at like appearances on TV shows?
The approach is selective and strategic. The idea is to be innovative.
We look for opportunities that:
- Build player personality
- Extend reach beyond cricket
- Stay aligned with the team’s overall narrative
It’s not about volume—it’s about meaningful visibility.
Q. On the stadium front how is the strategy being fine-tuned in terms of ticket pricing, hospitality etc? Was the new stadium well received last year?
The focus is on delivering a balanced and elevated match-day experience. This is crucial.
- smart stadium
- Maintaining accessibility across price points
- Enhancing premium and hospitality offerings
- Improving overall fan comfort and engagement
The new stadium has been well received and provides a strong platform. The next step is to make it a consistent, high-quality fan experience that drives repeat attendance.
