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IPL franchises have been looking at initiatives and experiences to strengthen fan engagement beyond the IPL season. As part of its strategy to position itself as a lifestyle brand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has recently launched its fitness and nutrition platform Hustle offering workout videos and fitness programmes featuring RCB cricketers and other fitness experts.
Talking about the strategy behind the launch of the platform, Rajesh V Menon, VP and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) told businessline that while fan engagement is a primary goal of the Hustle initiative, it also holds the potential to generate revenue streams through associated merchandise, events, and partnerships.
“With a longstanding emphasis on fitness, RCB aims to advocate it as an enduring lifestyle choice through a holistic approach. The initiative harnesses technology, cultivates community participation, and integrates gamification to unlock the full spectrum of lifestyle benefits for RCB’s extensive fan base,” he said.
“ RCB Hustle marks a transformative shift in the fitness landscape, embodying the brand’s dedication to innovation and well-being. In just four months since its inception, we’ve seen remarkable traction, with over 11,000 subscriptions,” he added.
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The Hustle platform features workouts with RCB cricket icons such as Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis and AB De Villiers among others. It also features other noted trainers. The franchise has the RCB Bar and Cafe in Bengaluru, positioned as a social hub besides other initiatives such as RCB Unbox and RCB Innovation Lab among others.
“Introducing these groundbreaking IPs is part of our overarching business strategy to position RCB as a global lifestyle brand. From the outset, we envisioned RCB as more than just a sporting entity but as a lifestyle brand that resonates with people across different age groups and backgrounds. By expanding our brand into multiple verticals we aimed to cater to different cohorts of fans and enthusiasts,” said Menon.
It has recently launched RCB Dog Out, which enables pet owners to come and enjoy RCB matches with their pets at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in a designated area. “The RCB Innovation Lab’s: Leaders Meet India initiative reflected our commitment to contributing to the transformation of the Indian economy into a sporting powerhouse,” he added.
