Sportstar
Sportstar is an India-based multi-platform sports media brand operated by THG Publishing Pvt Ltd (The Hindu Group), serving Indian sports fans with digital, print, mobile, video, and live event content across 20-plus sports led by cricket, football, and tennis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersChennai, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Sportstar does
Sportstar is a multi-platform sports media brand owned and operated by THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD, a subsidiary of The Hindu Group, one of India's most established media conglomerates. The company has been in continuous operation since the late 1970s/early 1980s and is headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with a staff of approximately 36 employees. Its core offering is a digital-first sports news platform at sportstar.thehindu.com covering 20+ sports — led by cricket, football, and tennis, and extending into emerging verticals such as Esports, MMA, Kabaddi, and Cue Sports — supported by a long-running print magazine, Android and iOS mobile applications, video and podcast content, and a dedicated statistics product (Statsman).
The platform's underlying technology consists of a responsive web-based content management system integrated with mobile applications on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, real-time live match center functionality for cricket and football, and live streaming syndication through broadcast partners. The publication also operates owned event properties — the ACES Awards and the Sportstar Conclave — which double as sponsorship vehicles and industry engagement platforms.
Sportstar's business model combines a freemium digital content layer (free headlines, limited match coverage, with premium subscriber-only access to e-book magazine issues, archives, and exclusive analysis) with recurring print and digital subscriptions, display advertising, and event sponsorship. Specialized Student and Corporate/Enterprise subscription tiers extend monetization beyond individual consumers, while content distribution partnerships with Sony Sports Network (cricket) and ZEE5 (FIFA World Cup 2026) extend reach onto broadcast and OTT channels. Cross-promotion and infrastructure are shared with The Hindu Group's sister publications (The Hindu, Business Line, Frontline) and a regional Tamil-language edition.
Sportstar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sportstar
- Legal name
- THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD
- Website
- https://sportstar.thehindu.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sportstar is an India-based multi-platform sports media brand operated by THG Publishing Pvt Ltd (The Hindu Group), serving Indian sports fans with digital, print, mobile, video, and live event content across 20-plus sports led by cricket, football, and tennis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sportstar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Media
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Other Spectator Sports (711219)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Live Streaming Platforms (MPACACAF)
Keywords
Where Sportstar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chennai
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sportstar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Digital Subscriptions: Premium digital access to Sportstar content including e-books, archived magazine issues, and exclusive subscriber-only articles. Users can subscribe through sportstar.thehindu.com/subscription/.
- Print Magazine Sales: Physical magazine sales through print subscription (pay.hindu.com/esubspay/Subscription?actiontype=NavigatePubln&publnCode=SS) and newsstand distribution.
- Live Events: Revenue from owned events including ACES Awards and Sportstar Conclave. These events generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales while building brand equity.
- Advertising: Display advertising and sponsored content on the website and digital platforms. The site features standard ad placements and branded content sections.
- Student and Enterprise Subscriptions: Specialized subscription tiers for students (documented at Google Forms endpoint) and corporate/enterprise access (documented at Microsoft Forms endpoint).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier with limited access |
| Subscription | Annual | Print Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Student Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate/Enterprise Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels11 records
Sportstar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sportstar is a multi-platform sports media brand that publishes sports news, live scores, match analysis, expert columns, video highlights, podcasts, and photo galleries across 20+ sports including cricket, football, tennis, and others. It distributes content via a digital website, mobile application (Android), and a physical print magazine, supplemented by owned events such as the ACES Awards and Sportstar Conclave.
Product overview
Sportstar is a comprehensive sports media platform operated by THG Publishing Pvt Ltd (The Hindu Group). The offering consists of a unified digital platform (sportstar.thehindu.com) providing sports news, live scores, and multimedia content across cricket, football, tennis, and 20+ other sports. The portfolio includes a core digital magazine/website, an Android mobile app available on Google Play Store, print magazine subscriptions, and digital e-book issues. Additional offerings include video content, podcasts, and photo galleries. The platform integrates live match centers with real-time score tracking for major tournaments including IPL, FIFA World Cup, and Wimbledon.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ACES Awards: Annual awards ceremony honoring excellence in sports
- Sportstar Conclave
- Sportoon
Products and services
- Sportstar Digital Platform (Website & E-book Magazine)
Companies that use Sportstar
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sportstar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Sportstar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- The Hindu GroupcoreSportstar is owned and operated by THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD, part of The Hindu Group, one of India's most respected media conglomerates. This provides access to distribution infrastructure, cross-promotion opportunities, journalistic resources, and brand credibility.
- THG PUBLISHING PVT LTDcoreLegal publishing entity for Sportstar magazine and digital properties. The publisher handles all business operations, subscriptions, and content publishing.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sportstar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ESPNcricinfo: Leading cricket-focused digital sports media platform in India and globally. Directly comparable as a sports journalism destination covering cricket, statistics, and live coverage; competes for the same cricket-focused audience Sportstar targets.
- Cricbuzz: India's dominant mobile-first cricket scores and news app. Directly comparable live match center, statistics, and commentary experience that competes head-to-head with Sportstar's core sports coverage product.
- Sportskeeda: Large multi-sport digital publisher covering cricket, football, esports, WWE and more with a comparable breadth of coverage. Both target Indian sports fans with content-heavy, ad-supported models.
- Wisden India / Wisden Cricbuzz: Heritage cricket publisher with print almanack and digital coverage. Comparable as a trusted, long-form cricket journalism brand with multi-decade heritage, similar to Sportstar's positioning.
- InsideSport: B2B-leaning Indian sports business media covering leagues, sponsorships, and sports industry news. Comparable niche Indian sports media with event and conclave properties similar to Sportstar Conclave.
Broad incumbents
- NDTV Sports: Sports coverage from NDTV, a leading Indian English news broadcaster. Comparable broad-appeal sports journalism with digital focus competing for the same premium ad and subscription audiences.
- Hindustan Times Sports: Sports coverage from another major Indian newspaper group. Comparable editorial-credibility positioning and multi-platform (web + app) distribution under a trusted national news brand.
- India Today Sports: Sports vertical of the India Today Group covering cricket, football, tennis with strong broadcast and event linkages. Comparable mass-market Indian sports journalism brand with magazine heritage.
- Times of India Sports / TOI Sportstler: Sports vertical of India's largest English newspaper group. Comparable multi-platform sports journalism offering under a major media brand umbrella with cross-promotion from a parent print/digital giant similar to Sportstar's The Hindu Group relationship.
Emerging players
- The Bridge (Sportstar competitor): Digital-first Indian sports media startup covering Olympic and emerging sports. Comparable newer-age sports journalism targeting Indian audiences with deeper coverage of non-cricket sports where Sportstar also invests.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sportstar social profiles
Digital presenceSportstar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sportstar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sportstar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sportstar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sportstar
What does Sportstar do?
Sportstar is a multi-platform sports media brand that publishes sports news, live scores, match analysis, expert columns, video highlights, podcasts, and photo galleries across 20+ sports including cricket, football, tennis, and others. It distributes content via a digital website, mobile application (Android), and a physical print magazine, supplemented by owned events such as the ACES Awards and Sportstar Conclave.
Is Sportstar a public or private company?
Sportstar is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sportstar founded?
Sportstar was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sportstar based?
Sportstar is headquartered in Chennai, India, in the Asia region.
How does Sportstar make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Digital Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are print Magazine Sales, live Events, advertising and student and Enterprise Subscriptions.
Who are Sportstar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ESPNcricinfo, Cricbuzz, Sportskeeda, Wisden India / Wisden Cricbuzz and InsideSport. Broad incumbents are NDTV Sports, Hindustan Times Sports, India Today Sports and Times of India Sports / TOI Sportstler. The Bridge (Sportstar competitor) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sportstar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sportstar.
What industry is Sportstar in?
Sportstar's product category is Sports Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACACAF, Sports Live Streaming Platforms. Its NAICS code is 7113 and its SIC code is 7330.