India’s top athletes are no longer just signing endorsement deals — they are building businesses around themselves. What was once the domain of agents and management firms is increasingly being brought in-house, as elite stars look to control not just their image, but their economic future.
According to a recent report by WPP Media, this shift is part of a broader structural evolution in the sports endorsement landscape. “Athletes are increasingly viewing themselves as enterprise entities rather than solely as represented talent,” the report states, capturing a mindset change that is reshaping how commercial opportunities are approached.
That transition is being reinforced by a more organised, strategic approach to endorsements and investments. “With rising sophistication in the endorsement arena, athlete-led endeavours are steadily becoming institutionalised, indicating a more coordinated approach to value extraction,” the report adds.
Ownership replaces representation
For many athletes, the move away from traditional agencies is less about disruption and more about control. By managing their own portfolios — often through family offices or close-knit teams — they are able to align endorsements, investments and long-term strategy under a single vision.
Few examples illustrate this better than Hardik Pandya, who recently formalised this shift. “I’m excited to share that I’m officially setting up my family office [Hardik Pandya Family Office] to bring all my business ventures, investments and off-field commitments under one unified version. This is an important step towards building long-term meaningful opportunities on and off the field, and I could not be more thrilled about what is ahead,” he said in a post on X on November 26, 2025.
🙏🏽🩵 pic.twitter.com/wxJS31o1Ey
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 26, 2025
The move reflects a broader industry pattern: athletes consolidating control to unlock greater value, rather than competing within agency-led portfolios.
From earnings to generational value
At the heart of this evolution is a deeper financial awareness among athletes, particularly in cricket where earning windows are both short and highly concentrated.
Shreyas Iyer articulated this shift in approach, writing in the WPP Media report, “We earn most of our lifetime income in a condensed window. To manage this effectively, one must shift from the mindset of ‘earning income’ to ‘building generational value.’ I’ve looked closely at global icons — athletes who have transitioned from being superstars to operating as sophisticated investment platforms. They don’t just sign checks; they own the cap table.”
That mindset is now translating into action. Expanding his role beyond cricket, he noted, “Starting my own management firm, ’96 Degree’ is not a departure from those relationships, but rather the next chapter built upon the strong foundations we laid together. It is a transition from ‘managed talent’ to self-determined entrepreneurship,” he wrote further.
Together, these moves signal a clear pivot: athletes are no longer content being brand ambassadors — they are positioning themselves as asset owners.
