Dream11, an Indian fantasy sports platform launched in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, has a longstanding association with the Indian Premier League (IPL).  Dream11 began with fantasy cricket and later grew to include other sports, eventually becoming the official fantasy sports partner of the IPL in 2019, a collaboration that will last until 2023.

Dream11 won the 2020 IPL championship sponsorship with a winning bid of ₹222 crore after Vivo withdrew as sponsor.  With this achievement, Dream11 became the first Indian firm to serve as the IPL’s title sponsor.

Beyond these collaborations, Dream11 has worked with several IPL franchises, including SunRisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings, to strengthen its position in the IPL ecosystem.

These strategic agreements have considerably aided Dream11’s growth by increasing its visibility and user engagement during the IPL season.  The platform’s marketing initiatives during the IPL helped to establish its brand presence in the fantasy sports sector.

Related: IPL 2025 Fantasy Sports Like Dream11, My11Circle Aiming High to Increase Run Rate

Dream11’s relationship with the IPL includes its role as the official fantasy sports partner, its tenure as title sponsor in 2020, and ongoing collaborations with several IPL teams, all of which have contributed significantly to the company’s growth and notoriety in the fantasy sports sector.

2008

• Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth co-founded Dream11.
• Initially focused on fantasy cricket, it eventually extended to include other sports like as football, kabaddi, and hockey.

2012–2018: Initial Growth Phase

• Dream11 is gaining popularity among Indian cricket enthusiasts.
• With the increased popularity of the IPL, the fantasy sports sector in India expanded.

2019: Official Fantasy Sports Partner of IPL

• Dream11 became the IPL’s official fantasy sports partner.
• A multi-year partnership agreement was negotiated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
• This collaboration enhanced Dream11’s brand visibility and reputation.

2020: Title Sponsor of IPL 2020

• Vivo, the IPL’s original title sponsor, backed out owing to India-China tensions.
• Dream11 secured the IPL 2020 title sponsorship rights for ₹222 crore.
• Dream11 became the first Indian corporation to serve as the IPL’s title sponsor.
• Official competition name: Dream11 IPL 2020.

2021-2023: Continued Partnerships

Dream11 remained the Official Fantasy Partner of the IPL even when Vivo returned as the title sponsor in 2021.

Developed brand partnerships with numerous IPL franchises:

• Mumbai Indians
• Chennai Super Kings
• Delhi Capitals
• Rajasthan Royals
• Punjab Kings
• SunRisers Hyderabad

2022: Rise of Dream Sports Ecosystem

• Dream11 grew its parent company, Dream Sports, by launching additional enterprises such as FanCode (live sports streaming) and Dream Capital (an investment arm).
• IPL agreements resulted in significant user growth and visibility.

2023: Extended Fantasy Partnership

• Dream11 has extended its partnership as the IPL’s Official Fantasy Sports Partner.
• Continued strong marketing initiatives throughout the IPL season.

2024: My11Circle Outbids Dream11 as Official Partner Of IPL

• Fantasy gaming application My11Circle has emerged as the official partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), bidding INR 125 crore per year for five years.
• My11Circle outbid the incumbent Dream11, who offered INR 103 crore per year for the cricket tournament’s partner rights.
• My11Circle paid INR 625 crore for these rights over a five-year period, according to Mint, citing BCCI sources.

2024 & Beyond: Dominance in Fantasy Sports

• Dream11 remains India’s most popular fantasy sports site, with over 180 million users.
• It expects to strengthen its IPL connections through digital engagement, fantasy leagues, and partnerships.

Dream11 launched this year’s IPL season with a high-octane commercial that combined the worlds of Bollywood and cricket.  The commercial, which went viral instantaneously, included stars Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor, as well as India’s biggest cricket heroes Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and R. Ashwin.

The campaign saw Khan and Kapoor engage in friendly competition while building their dream cricket teams, Aamir11 and Ranbir11, laying the groundwork for a dramatic showdown.  Arbaaz Khan and Jackie Shroff made special appearances to boost the campaign with their trademark humor and charm.

This year, we have focused on sharpening our creative cut-through, according to Vikrant Mudaliar, Dream Sports’ Chief Marketing Officer. Rather of merely boosting funds, we refocused on more targeted messaging that generates organic traction.  Our goal is to maximize effect by providing content that resonates, ignites conversations, and encourages fan interaction.

Mudaliar adds that celebrity sponsorships for Dream11 are more than just awareness; they help the platform connect with fans.  The team takes an idea-first approach, carefully assessing whether celebrities are required for a specific campaign.  The creative concept decides whether stars should be involved in the story and which personalities will best bring the vision to life, resulting in virality and high engagement.

Cricketers, considering our strong affinity to the sport, fit readily into our storyline.  We collaborate with entertainment figures primarily to strengthen the creative idea. Their celebrity status is an added bonus, he says, adding: “While reach and scale are important, we measure success through engagement, such as tracking brand recall, sentiment, social interactions, and organic conversations around our campaigns.”

Dream11 looks beyond surface-level campaign metrics to focus on what truly matters.  While brand awareness, recall, and online traction are important measures, the primary goal is to create conversations and increase community participation.  Data is essential to marketing strategy since it helps fine-tune the media mix, target the correct people, and predict future trends.  This keeps campaigns dynamic, efficient, and aligned with user preferences.  Ultimately, success entails establishing Dream11 as the top choice for fantasy sports lovers.

Fan interactions and social engagement provide real-time feedback on campaign performance.  Every endeavor is thoroughly evaluated for ROI to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.  If we can generate talks, increase involvement, and build our community, that’s a win for us, says Mudaliar.

He adds, “We leverage market and user behavior data to offer customized content and determine which platforms, creatives, and messaging are driving the most interaction.  One of our most important qualities is our capacity to adjust fast.  If a campaign resonates with a certain audience, we scale it immediately to maximize results.

While interaction naturally increases during the IPL, Dream11’s strategy is to maintain the enthusiasm year-round.  “As the ‘popcorn to sports’, we thrive on live events, but our presence in the sports ecosystem extends well beyond marquee tournaments,” Mudaliar tells me.

The platform maintains momentum through minor leagues and fledgling sports, which are supported by strategic long-term agreements and team sponsorships.  Their group of over 25 sports ambassadors plays an important role in this always-on strategy.  Mudaliar explains the strategy: “Through their authentic connection with fans, we maintain conversations and engagement even during off-peak periods.”  Social media and influencer relationships also play an important role in celebrating the everyday passion of sports, keeping Dream11 top-of-mind throughout the year.”

Dream11’s high-impact agreement with the IPL, which began in 2019, changed the company’s standing in fantasy sports.  It provided opportunity for the platform to reach millions of cricket fans across India.

The tournament’s vast reach and passionate audience enabled it to engage fans on an unprecedented scale, catapulting fantasy sports from niche pastime to mainstream entertainment.  In addition, unrivalled brand recognition was established, laying the groundwork for future user acquisition and retention.  “Although brand recognition is great, acquisition needs purposeful effort.  In a competitive market, we prioritize distinctiveness to ensure that new users perceive Dream11 as the most entertaining fantasy sports platform,” Mudaliar explains.

He underlines that “retention is equally important.”  Our goal is not just to sign up users for a single match, but to keep them interested season after season.  We accomplish this by offering specialized promotions, personalizing interaction activities, and continually providing the finest second-screen experience for sports fans.”