Sportstar

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.

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

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

• Sports journalism
• Sports news media
• Digital publishing
• Sports magazine
• Sports content platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Chennai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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/.
2. Print Magazine Sales: Physical magazine sales through print subscription (pay.hindu.com/esubspay/Subscription?actiontype=NavigatePubln&publnCode=SS) and newsstand distribution.
3. Live Events: Revenue from owned events including ACES Awards and Sportstar Conclave. These events generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales while building brand equity.
4. Advertising: Display advertising and sponsored content on the website and digital platforms. The site features standard ad placements and branded content sections.
5. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core 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)

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Hindu GroupcoreOthersSportstar 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 LTDcoreOthersLegal 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/sportstarweb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCe9vE2-6yc8aPBFCQilifqg
• Facebookfacebook.com/sportstarweb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sportstarweb
• Instagraminstagram.com/sportstarweb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sportstar