Writing about the RevSportz journey is always a matter of great pride. In under four years, we have emerged as one of India’s best sports platforms. We do multi-sport coverage with pride, and will continue to do so. The truth is, it hasn’t been easy. Negotiating an unfair personal ban added to the challenges. But then, challenges bring the best out of a person and if you are true to your conscience, all the more so. Even during the ban, not one of our investors walked out and only one of the 15 brands who backed us decided to part ways. People believed in the cause and the vision.
England was an unprecedented high for us. The feedback was overwhelming. But then, you are as good as your last story. England is now the past. History. What about the future? How do we plan to cover the Asia Cup? The women’s World Cup and the Paralympic World Championship in Delhi? How do we plan to cover the World Athletics in Tokyo and the national athletics in Chennai? Is it possible to send reporters to every major sports event, and give people opportunity to grow?
We discussed a host of these questions in our investor group. I had approached these meetings with the understanding that I’d be asked about return on investment (ROI). What’s the ROI on Women’s World Cup coverage? Can coverage of the Para Athletics World Championship in Delhi be monetised? And if not, what is the point in sending two reporters to the event?
The truth is, not one of my many investors asked me about ROI. Each spoke about scale and the need to stay true to the vision. “If we can do the England tour with many people on ground, we should cover the Women’s World Cup with equal passion,” said one of the investors. “The same should happen with the Asia Cup and the Para athletics. Scale should be our watchword and we should make it clear to fans and viewers that we’d not hold back going forward.”
Interestingly enough, the statement was very well received. Almost everyone agreed with the thoughts presented, and I was empowered to keep scaling up. “Support will come,” was what someone else said. “You shouldn’t stop. This is legacy for us all. We aren’t here for money. The valuation going up exponentially is evidence we are on the right path, so keep making a difference to Indian sport.”
Not once was I asked to restrict coverage for women’s sport or Para sport. Rather, the emphasis was on multi-sport coverage from ground zero. I’d have loved to send someone to Paris for the Badminton World Championship. Had the visa not been delayed, it would have happened as well. My colleagues will continue to travel. Learn and get better in the process. And athletes will indeed see that we aren’t just there on cricket tours. We will be there for them at all times, in different parts of the world. Every sport and every discipline will be covered, and the critical questions asked. In an India that is now all set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is a contender for the 2036 Olympics, this is a need. And RevSportz will not cut corners in its quest to fulfil that need.
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