Esports and youth entertainment company NODWIN Gaming has expanded into mainstream sports with the launch of NODWIN Sports, a new division focused on developing sporting properties, mass-participation events and commercial opportunities across India’s evolving sports ecosystem.
The company has appointed Gurbaksh Singh Virdi, a former Adidas India executive, as Vice President of NODWIN Sports. He will lead the new division as it works to develop sports and active-fitness competitions, build mass-participation lifestyle properties and establish partnerships with sports federations, governing bodies, rights holders and brands.
NODWIN Sports to Build New-Age Sporting Properties
The newly established division will focus on four broad areas: new-age sports and mass-participation intellectual properties, sports advisory and engagement with governing bodies, strategic partnerships and commercial alliances, and white-label execution and operations.
NODWIN Sports will also work across the full lifecycle of sporting properties, including the creation of original sports concepts, commercial strategy, brand and media partnerships, production and on-ground execution.
The expansion builds on NODWIN Gaming’s experience in producing large-scale events and engaging younger audiences through gaming, esports, entertainment and culture.
NODWIN Gaming co-founder and Managing Director Akshat Rathee said the way audiences experience sport is changing rapidly, creating an opportunity to develop properties that reflect how younger generations participate in, compete in and follow sports.
The company intends to work with sporting institutions, athletes, brands and other partners to develop new opportunities around participation and sports entertainment.
Gurbaksh Singh Virdi to Lead Sports Division
Virdi joins NODWIN Sports with experience spanning sports marketing, athlete management, commercial partnerships and sporting-property development.
Before joining NODWIN Gaming, he served as Sports Marketing Lead at Adidas India, where he worked across cricket, running, training, football and motorsport. His responsibilities included partnerships involving the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian Olympic Association.
His previous career includes roles at Red Bull, U Sports, Puma and Cornerstone.
At Red Bull, Virdi worked on initiatives including Red Bull Campus Cricket and athlete management. At U Sports, he led operations for Pro Kabaddi League franchise U Mumba and was involved with the U Dream Football programme, which worked with Tata Trusts and German Bundesliga clubs including Borussia Dortmund and TSG Hoffenheim.
He subsequently worked on team sports at Puma and athlete-led intellectual properties at Cornerstone, including initiatives associated with Virat Kohli’s One8 brand.
Focus on Youth-Centric Sports Culture
Virdi said India’s sports landscape is undergoing a significant evolution as younger audiences increasingly experience sports through a combination of competition, participation, entertainment, content and culture.
He said NODWIN Sports aims to bring these elements together to develop sporting properties that appeal to the next generation.
The division’s ambitions extend beyond simply organising competitions. It plans to build participation opportunities while contributing to the broader culture surrounding sports through properties that are accessible, contemporary and connected to youth culture.
This approach builds on NODWIN Gaming’s existing experience of creating communities around entertainment properties and engaging audiences through live events and digital content.
NODWIN Brings Existing Production and Partnership Capabilities
NODWIN Sports will draw upon the parent company’s existing capabilities in content creation, event production, partnerships and community engagement.
NODWIN Gaming has progressively expanded beyond its original esports focus into a broader youth entertainment business. Its portfolio includes properties such as the BGMI Masters Series, Comic Con India, NH7 Weekender and VCSA.
The company’s expansion into sports therefore adds another category to an existing portfolio spanning gaming, esports, music, live entertainment and youth-focused properties.
The new sports division could allow NODWIN to apply its experience in audience engagement and large-scale event execution to conventional and emerging sporting formats.
Revenue Grows 25% in FY26
The launch comes after a year of revenue growth for NODWIN Gaming.
The company reported consolidated revenue of ₹658 crore for FY2025-26, an increase of approximately 25% from ₹524 crore in the previous financial year.
Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at ₹21 crore, compared with an EBITDA loss of ₹14 crore in FY2024-25.
The improved financial performance comes as NODWIN continues to diversify its business across gaming, esports, entertainment and related youth-focused categories.
Backed by Major Strategic Investors
Founded in 2014 by Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN Gaming has attracted investment from several major companies, including Nazara Technologies, Krafton, Sony Group Corporation and JetSynthesys.
The company’s expansion into mainstream sports represents another step in its broader strategy of building a diversified youth-focused entertainment and experiences business.
With NODWIN Sports, the company is now targeting opportunities across sports participation, intellectual property creation, advisory services, commercial partnerships and event operations.
The appointment of Virdi gives the new division an executive with experience across sports marketing, professional leagues, athlete partnerships and brand-led sporting properties as NODWIN seeks to establish its presence in India’s wider sports industry.
Disclaimer: This report has been editorially prepared using publicly available information and official company disclosures. Readers are advised to refer to official company announcements/disclosures for further details.
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