FanCode To Shut Sports Merchandise Business

SUMMARY

FanCode is set to shut its online sports merchandise business, FanCode Shop, by October this year

The startup decided to shut its sports merchandising business in June and redirect the resources to its core content operations

Reportedly, the merchandise business was struggling with persistent viability issues and the unchecked circulation of counterfeit products, both of which have severely limited growth prospects

Sports media startup FanCode, a subsidiary of Dream11 parent Dream Sports, is set to shut its online sports merchandise business, FanCode Shop, by October this year.

The startup decided to shut its sports merchandising business in June and redirect the resources to its core content operations, FanCode said in a statement.

“… This will help us focus on what’s growing fastest and delivering the most value to our users. FanCode Shop will continue running till October and we will fulfill all orders placed during that time…” a FanCode spokesperson said.

The development was first reported by ET. The publication said in a report that the merchandise business was struggling with persistent viability issues and the unchecked circulation of counterfeit products, both of which have severely limited growth prospects.

FanCode Shop, which was launched in 2020, offers official sports apparel, fan gear, and collectibles through partnerships with IPL franchises, the NBA, international cricket bodies, and leading football clubs globally.

It was intended to provide an additional revenue stream for FanCode, which offers live sports streaming, commentary, and analytics.

The development comes soon after Dream Sports shuttered its real gaming operations following the passage of the ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025’ in the Parliament.

Dream11 CEO Harsh Jain said that the ban on real money gaming resulted in 95% revenue of the startup disappearing overnight. However, the startup does not plan to challenge the Bill in the court and will instead focus on FanCode, sports hospitality brand DreamSetGo, online game DreamCricket, and investment tech offering Dream Money which was launched recently.

Dream11 also plans to redeploy its resources for AI-driven innovations in sports content, commerce, merchandising, and fan experiences.

Further the startup will trim its marketing, advertising and partnership spending to extend its runway. As part of this, it also pulled out as the lead sponsor of the Indian cricket team.

Following the passage of the Bill, almost all Indian startups have discontinued their real money gaming operations, including Zupee, Paytm, Games24x7, and more.