IPL 2026: Why Brands Are Moving Beyond Ads to Immersive Fan Experiences

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IPL 2026: As yet another highly-anticipated season of the Indian Premier League approaches, the landscape of cricket sponsorship and fan engagement is undergoing a significant shift, due to the most lucrative domestic T20 league in the world. Brands are increasingly moving beyond traditional visibility-led partnerships to focus on creating immersive, experience-driven connections with fans.

In this evolving ecosystem, companies like Scapia are redefining how audiences interact with the sport, placing access and participation at the centre of their strategy.

Scapia's expanded partnerships with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans reflect this transformation. Through initiatives such as Royal Entourage, Titans Entourage, and "Day with the Titans," the brand is offering fans rare behind-the-scenes access, premium matchday experiences, and opportunities to engage with teams beyond the boundaries of the stadium.

This approach aligns with a broader industry trend where fans are no longer passive viewers but active participants seeking deeper, more personal connections with their favourite teams.

In this Q&A with myKhel, Scapia Spokesperson shared insights on how fan engagement is evolving in IPL 2026, the growing importance of experiential marketing, and why access-led interactions are becoming more valuable than traditional digital engagement.

From shifting sponsorship strategies to the rise of interactive fan behaviour, the conversation highlights how brands are reshaping the future of cricket fandom. Here are the excerpts:

Q. With IPL 2026 approaching, what are the biggest shifts you're seeing in sponsorship and fan engagement strategies?

Ans: The shift is clearly from visibility to experiences. Brands today don't just want to be seen, they want to create moments fans can actually be part of.

Last season, with Royal Challengers Bangalore, we saw how powerful experiences can drive real engagement and brand connection. Initiatives like the Scapia Royal Entourage gave fans the chance to make a grand matchday entry, enjoy premium hospitality, and experience the game from up close. That kind of insider access created far deeper engagement than traditional formats.

This year, we're building on that across both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans with a more integrated, experience-first approach. Through Scapia Supershot, our virtual cricket game, fans actively participate and compete to unlock rewards. These rewards translate into real-world access through experiences like Scapia Royal Entourage, Scapia Titans Entourage, and Day with the Titans, where winners spend time around the team, including staying at the team hotel and experiencing matchday up close.

Together, this creates a seamless journey from digital participation to real-world access. The brands that stand out will be the ones that fans can truly experience, not just notice.

Q. How are brands rethinking their approach to IPL partnerships beyond visibility-led models?

Ans: Brands today are moving beyond just selling to creating moments that customers will remember for a lifetime. The focus is on building meaningful connections, not just driving visibility.

With "The Game is Yours," we've taken this approach by combining digital participation with real-world experiences. Through Scapia Supershot, our virtual cricket game, fans actively compete to unlock access to experiences like Scapia Royal Entourage with Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Day with the Titans and Scapia Titans Entourage with Gujarat Titans. These are moments typically reserved for insiders, from being around the team to experiencing matchday up close.

This creates a much deeper connection by blending gameplay, access, and real-world experiences into a single journey. It's no longer about one-time impressions, but sustained engagement and a stronger, more personal relationship with fans.

That's how IPL partnerships are evolving, from being seen on the jersey to becoming part of the fan's journey.

Q. The idea of "experience-driven fandom" is gaining traction - how is it shaping IPL engagement? Are fans valuing access more than traditional digital engagement?

Ans: Fandom today is increasingly about access and participation. Fans don't just want to watch the game, they want to feel closer to it and be part of moments that go beyond the field.

Last season, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, we introduced experiences like the Scapia Royal Entourage, which gave fans a rare, behind-the-scenes view of matchday, from being around the team at the hotel to making a grand entry into the stadium. That kind of proximity created a deeper and far more memorable connection.

This season, we're building on that across both Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans with a wider set of experiences. Through Scapia Supershot, our virtual cricket game, fans actively participate and compete to unlock access to insider moments. These include experiences like Royal Entourage, Titans Entourage, and Day with the Titans, where fans get to stay in the same hotel as the team and enjoy premium matchday access.

We're also seeing strong traction with this approach. Since launch, Scapia Supershot has seen over 10,000 teams formed, with high engagement, and the winning team from the first batch scoring 1.8 lakh runs. Winners from across India are already excited to be part of the entourage and experience matchday up close, which reflects how actively fans are choosing to engage.

Overall, fans are valuing access far more than traditional digital engagement. Behind-the-scenes experiences and real-world moments create stronger emotional connections. Even brief proximity to the team makes fandom more personal, tangible, and memorable.

Q. Which fan experiences have driven the strongest engagement so far, and why?

Ans: Last year, we saw standout engagement with activities around securing a spot in the Scapia Royal Entourage, with strong participation across the board.

It worked because it gave fans rare proximity to the team, turning them from spectators into insiders. That sense of access and belonging is what drives the strongest engagement today.

Q. How do you evaluate ROI for experiential campaigns? Do you see experiential engagement becoming a revenue stream for franchises?

Ans: For us, these campaigns are about connecting with fans in a more meaningful way, creating moments that delight them, engage them deeply, and stay with them long after the season ends.

This season, we are looking at metrics like participation in Scapia Supershot, engagement depth across tiers, and more. More importantly, we track brand recall, affinity, and long-term connection. The goal is not just reach, but lasting impact.

Q. Have you seen a shift from passive to active fan behaviour?

Ans: Yes. Fans today want to participate, not just consume. Whether it's competing, unlocking experiences, or accessing insider moments, engagement is becoming far more active - and that's shaping how partnerships are designed.

We've seen this clearly with Scapia Supershot, our virtual cricket game. Fans aren't just watching - they're actively playing, competing, and coming back to win experiences. That level of participation is a strong signal of where fan behaviour is headed.

Q. Will this experience-first approach scale beyond IPL?

Ans: Yes, and it's already happening.

The demand for deeper, more personal engagement isn't limited to the IPL - it's extending across leagues and even into grassroots ecosystems. At the same time, brands are moving away from purely transactional interactions and focusing on creating experiences that truly matter and stay with users.

The opportunity is to bring fans closer to the sport at every level through access-led, meaningful experiences that people remember, not just engage with once.