U Sports

What U Sports does

U Sports (legal entity: Unilazer Ventures Private Limited) is a privately held multi-sport franchise operator founded in 2014 by Ronnie Screwvala, headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company manages eight or more sports franchises across professional leagues including U Mumba (Pro Kabaddi League, Season 2 Champions in 2015), U Mumba TT (Ultimate Table Tennis League, Season 6 Champions in 2025), upGrad Mumba Masters (Tech Mahindra Global Chess League), U Mumba FC (MDFA Elite Division football), U Mumba Volley (PVL Pro Volleyball League), U Cypher (eSports — CS:GO, DOTA2, PUBG Mobile), U Dream Football (youth football training with BVB Dortmund technical partnership), and U Moto (electric motorcycle racing). The company operates a two-pronged strategy: professional sports franchise management and grassroots youth athlete development.

The business generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) franchise participation in professional leagues including match revenue and league distributions, (2) multi-tier sponsorship partnerships (title, powered-by, associate, pouring) with brands such as ROFF, Valvoline, Max Protein, Bank of Maharashtra, and Big FM, and (3) direct-to-consumer merchandise sales (jerseys at INR 799 each, combo at INR 1,598) through its official website usports.in. The proprietary technology footprint is minimal — no proprietary software products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; the company operates as a sports business rather than a technology platform. Its core assets are brand IP (registered U Mumba trademark/logo held by Unilazer Ventures), partnership rights in professional leagues, and a talent development infrastructure with international exposure (Germany/Europe training).

The company is founder-financed with no disclosed external funding rounds, and key leadership includes Founder Ronnie Screwvala (former UTV/Disney entrepreneur), CEO Suhail Chandhok (appointed March 2023, former cricketer and sports administrator), and CFO Chetan Juthani (Chartered Accountant with 28+ years experience including Disney India). The customer base is dual-sided: B2C fans (primary segment — Kabaddi sports fans purchasing merchandise and attending matches) and B2B sponsors (across FMCG, automotive, banking, and media sectors). Geographic operations are entirely India-focused, with product/IP exposure extending to Germany via BVB Dortmund partnership for U Dream Football.

Name

U Sports

Legal name

Unilazer Ventures Private Limited

Website

https://usports.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

U Sports is a privately held Indian multi-sport franchise operator founded in 2014 by Ronnie Screwvala, managing 8+ professional teams across kabaddi, table tennis, chess, football, volleyball, esports, and motorsport, generating revenue through league participation, multi-tier sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Franchise Management

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Live Sports Leagues & Tours (MPAGAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE), Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Professional sports franchises
• Multi-sport league operations
• Athlete talent development
• Sports merchandise sales
• Sports sponsorship management

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Pro Kabaddi League Franchise Operations: Revenue generated through participation in the Pro Kabaddi League as a franchise team, including match revenue, league distributions, and team merchandise sales.
2. Sponsorship and Partnership Revenue: Title partners, powered by sponsors, associate partners, and pouring partners provide sponsorship revenue across seasons.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of official U Mumba jerseys (Home and Away) and branded merchandise through the official website. Home Jersey at INR 799, Away Jersey at INR 799, Combo at INR 1,598.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

U Sports operates and manages multiple professional sports franchise teams across Kabaddi, Table Tennis, Chess, Football, Volleyball, eSports, and Motorsports in India. The company recruits athletes, manages team operations, participates in professional leagues such as Pro Kabaddi League, Ultimate Table Tennis, and Global Chess League, runs youth talent development programs, and sells branded merchandise including jerseys through its e-commerce website.

Product overview

U Sports is a multi-sport business company founded in 2014 by Ronnie Screwvala and Suhail Chandhok (CEO). The company operates as an umbrella brand under Unilazer Ventures, managing professional sports teams and sports development programs. Its portfolio includes: U Mumba (Pro Kabaddi league franchise), U Mumba TT (Ultimate Table Tennis League - defending champions of Season 6), upGrad Mumba Masters (Global Chess League), U Mumba FC (MDFA Elite Division football), U Mumba Volley (PVL Pro Volleyball League), U Cypher (eSports), U Dream Football (youth football training program), and U Moto (electric motorcycle racing). The company also sells official merchandise including jerseys (Home and Away at INR 799 each) through its website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• upGrad Mumba Masters: Chess franchise participating in Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, featuring grandmasters like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Koneru Humpy, and Harika Dronavalli.
• U Mumba TT
• U Cypher
• U Dream Football

Products and services

• U Mumba (Pro Kabaddi League Franchise) Mumbai city franchise of the Pro Kabaddi League playing in the PKL caravan format across 12 venues. Won PKL Season 2 in 2015 and finished as runners-up in Season 1 and Season 3; has participated in 12 seasons. Targeted at kabaddi fans and the broader Indian sports entertainment audience.
• U Mumba TT (Ultimate Table Tennis Franchise) Table tennis franchise competing in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) League. Won Season 6 championship in 2025 defeating Jaipur Patriots and is the defending champion. Targeted at table tennis fans and Indian sports entertainment audiences.
• upGrad Mumba Masters (Global Chess League Franchise) Chess franchise competing in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League featuring grandmasters such as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Koneru Humpy, and Harika Dronavalli. Finished as runners-up in the inaugural season and has participated in Seasons 1-3. Targeted at chess fans globally.
• U Mumba Volley (Pro Volleyball League Franchise) Volleyball franchise that finished as semi-finalist in the inaugural PVL Pro Volleyball League (February 2-22, 2019). Targeted at volleyball fans in India.
• U Cypher (eSports IP and Tournament Management) eSports vertical handling team management across CS:GO, DOTA 2, and PUBG Mobile; tournament organization (Season 1 with Rs. 51 lakhs prize money); and content production. Targeted at esports fans and competitive gaming community in India.
• U Dream Football (Youth Football Training Program) Football training program offering young talented footballers international training exposure in Germany/Europe with academic support. Based in Nasik, India at Fravashi International Academy and Bitburg, Germany, with technical partnership from BVB Dortmund. Includes TATA Trusts U Dream Football initiative sponsoring 35 players from North East India. Targeted at young Indian footballers seeking professional development.
• U Moto (Electric Motorcycle Racing) Motorsports initiative aiming to create a world-class electric motorcycle (E-Bike) racing event from India. Plans include Intermediate Class (110kW, 250km/h) and Premier Class racing formats. Targeted at motorsport fans and the Indian EV racing ecosystem.
• U Mumba FC (MDFA Elite Division Football) Football team participating in the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) Elite Division league since December 2018, with the stated aim to qualify for I-League under AIFF. Targeted at Mumbai football fans.
• Official U Mumba Merchandise (Jerseys and Branded Products) Official U Mumba merchandise sold through the usports.in e-commerce store with delivery across India in 8-10 business days. Includes Home Jersey (Orange & Black) at INR 799, Away Jersey (Black & Grey) at INR 799, and Combo Offer (Home + Away) at INR 1,598. Targeted at kabaddi fans and Mumbai city brand enthusiasts.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ROFFcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Partner for U Mumba in Season 11 of Pro Kabaddi League
• ValvolinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPowered By sponsor for Season 11, providing automotive lubricant branding association
• Max ProteinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociate partner and sponsor for Season 11 and UTT (Ultimate Table Tennis)
• BVB DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner for Tata Trusts U Dream Football program - German Bundesliga club provides youth coaching and training philosophy
• Bank of MaharashtraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociate partner providing banking services sponsorship
• Swades FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial welfare initiative founded by Ronnie Screwvala focused on empowering rural India - provides youth development linkage
• Mumbai City FCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLimited edition scarf collaboration (U Mumba x Mumbai City FC) for cross-sport fan engagement
• Big FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partner for Season 10 and Season 11

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Telugu Titans: Pro Kabaddi League franchise owned by Veera Sports. Direct PKL competitor to U Mumba with the same franchise-fee economics, league distributions and sponsorship structures across seasons.
• Bengal Warriors: Pro Kabaddi League franchise, PKL Season 7 champion. Comparable franchise operator to U Mumba with the same league economics, sponsorship tiers and merchandising model, directly competing in PKL match-ups.
• Patna Pirates: Pro Kabaddi League franchise and the league's only three-time champion (Seasons 3, 4, 5). Owned by Rajesh V. Shah; competes head-to-head with U Mumba in every PKL season and shares the same sponsorship, merchandise and central-revenue model.
• Puneri Paltan: PKL franchise owned by Insurekot Sports, with a similarly strong Maharashtra fan identity adjacent to U Mumba's Mumbai base. Direct PKL competitor with overlapping merchandising, sponsorship and match-day revenue models.
• Jaipur Pink Panthers: PKL Season 1 champion and one of the league's most established franchises, owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan's company. Direct PKL peer with comparable merchandise and sponsorship revenue mix and similar fan-base-driven business model.
• Bengaluru Bulls: Pro Kabaddi League franchise owned by Kosmik Global/IQuest. Direct in-league competitor to U Mumba, also a former PKL champion (Season 6), sharing the same franchise economics, caravan-format travel and sponsorship marketplace.
• Dabang Delhi: PKL franchise with the same caravan-format participation, league-central revenue splits, and title/associate sponsorship tiers as U Mumba. Direct in-league peer competing for sponsorship dollars in the same North/West India markets.
• Tamil Thalaivas: Pro Kabaddi League franchise with a strong regional (Tamil Nadu) identity analogous to U Mumba's Mumbai identity. Direct competitor with similar city-based fan model, sponsorship tiers and merchandise economics.

Broad incumbents

• Kolkata Knight Riders: IPL franchise and multi-sport operator owned by Red Chillies Entertainment (Shah Rukh Khan), with associated teams in South Africa's SA20, the Caribbean Premier League, the Abu Dhabi T10 and Major League Cricket. Comparable as a celebrity-backed multi-league franchise aggregator, though operating primarily in cricket rather than kabaddi.
• Mumbai Indians: India's flagship multi-sport franchise portfolio (IPL cricket, MI Cape Town, MI New York, ISL Mumbai City FC, wrestling, eSports) owned by Reliance Industries. Comparable in Mumbai identity, multi-sport aggregator model and scale of sponsorship, but with significantly deeper capital base and broader sport coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/umumba
• Xx.com/umumba
• Facebookfacebook.com/umumba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about U Sports