SUMMARY
Trade Fantasy Game is bootstrapped so far and has internally invested around INR 10 Cr to build the platform
TFG is aiming to have 1 Mn users by FY24 and a revenue of INR 18 Cr by FY25
Deepak Chahar is banking on his fan base of over 5 Mn users across social media platforms for TFG to carve a niche in the market dominated by the likes of Dream11 and MPL
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Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar on Thursday (February 23) announced his entry into the entrepreneurial space with the launch of fantasy gaming platform Trade Fantasy Game (TFG). He has cofounded the startup with his wife Jaya Chahar.
Chahar is banking on his fan base of over 5 Mn users across social media platforms for the success of his startup in the highly competitive Indian fantasy gaming market, which is currently dominated by the likes of Dream11 and Mobile Premier League (MPL).
“TFG will allow me to reach my fans in a whole new way. I hope to leverage my knowledge of cricket and harness technology to reach out to millions while connecting and engaging with them and adding value to the sport and the cricketing ecosystem as well,” Deepak, who represents Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL), said in a statement.
The cricketer will serve as the cofounder and the brand ambassador of the platform.
Founded in March 2022, JCDC Sports Pvt Ltd, the parent entity of TFG, claims to offer a premium experience of playing collectible and card-based fantasy games on its platform.
Speaking to Inc42, the Chahar couple said that the startup is bootstrapped so far and has internally invested around INR 10 Cr to build the platform.
TFG was in beta testing mode so far. With the public launch of the platform, the company said it is aiming to reach 1 Mn users by FY24.
“The gaming industry has been witnessing fast-paced growth and seeing a rise in gamers daily. Being from the cricketing community, this venture was the best way to extend ourselves by entering the cricket fantasy space and taking the sport from the field to the gaming arena,” said Jaya, founder and CEO of JCDC Sports.
The Delhi-headquartered startup will reward gamers not only for their skill set but also for loyalty and frequent participation. Both player performance and user participation will play a role in increasing the user’s digital collectibles, it said.
“We have got this new concept because we have seen that players are not loyal to any particular app. All the apps are providing the same features, some might give you a mega contest but the rules and the play are the same on every platform. So, people try their luck with every app,” said Deepak. “We want to build loyalty towards the app and the player.”
The game will engage users with features like wildcards, fantasy clashes, trading of cards, venue statistics, and more.
TFG is betting on tournaments like the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup, and the upcoming IPL and Women’s Premier League to achieve its goals in terms of downloads. JCDC Sports is aiming to clock a revenue of INR 18 Cr by FY25.
However, it must be noted that the esports and fantasy gaming space is currently facing many regulatory hurdles. Besides, most of the startups in the space are in losses, except Dream11.
As per a Statista report, India’s online fantasy sports sector is projected to grow to a size of over INR 50 Bn by FY25 from INR 20 Bn in FY21.
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