NODWIN Gaming has officially launched NODWIN Sports, a new division aimed at establishing mainstream sports properties. This initiative is designed to promote mass participation and create strategic opportunities within the sports ecosystem of the Global South. The move reflects NODWIN’s commitment to expanding its influence in the youth entertainment sector through innovative sports engagement strategies.
A three-time 70.3 Ironman finisher and endurance sport enthusiast, Virdi has played a pivotal role in several landmark initiatives across India’s sports ecosystem. During his tenure at Red Bull, he pioneered Red Bull Campus Cricket, managed leading Indian athletes across disciplines, and was involved in marquee sporting tours and brand-building initiatives. At U Sports, he led operations for U Mumba in the Pro Kabaddi League and established the U Dream Football programme with Tata Trusts in Germany, in partnership with Bundesliga clubs including Borussia Dortmund and TSG Hoffenheim. He also established the esports vertical at U Sports, further expanding his experience across emerging and mainstream sporting ecosystems.
Virdi subsequently expanded Puma’s team sports portfolio and led strategic athlete IP development at Cornerstone, where he spearheaded running initiatives for Virat Kohli’s inaugural One8 brand and launched the agency’s esports division.
Gurbaksh Singh Virdi, Vice President, NODWIN Sports, said, “India’s sports landscape is entering an important phase of evolution, shaped by a new generation of audiences who are experiencing sport across competition, participation, entertainment, content and culture. Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming, said, “Sport has always had the ability to bring people together at scale, and the way audiences experience sport is changing rapidly. Most recently, as Sports Marketing Lead at Adidas India, he led the sports marketing vertical across cricket, running, training, football and motorsport, working across partnerships with the BCCI, the Indian Olympic Association and leading football and motorsport properties. He also developed and curated new-age, high-impact marketing activations and campaigns across markets, with a focus on building deeper consumer engagement and participation around sport. Having worked across federations, athlete development, brand partnerships and sporting properties, I have seen first-hand how each of these touchpoints can play a role in shaping the way people connect with sport. NODWIN Sports gives us an opportunity to bring these perspectives together and build properties that are relevant to how the next generation wants to experience sport. The ambition is not only to create new opportunities for participation, but to help build the culture around sport for the next decade, one that is more accessible, engaging, contemporary and connected to youth culture. I’m excited to work with federations, rights holders, athletes, brands and communities to create sporting properties and ecosystems that can have lasting relevance. NODWIN Sports gives us a dedicated platform to work with sporting institutions, athletes, brands and partners to build those opportunities. Gurbaksh brings a rare combination of sports marketing experience, IP-building expertise and an understanding of how to build ecosystems around audiences, and we’re excited to have him lead this next chapter for NODWIN.”
We see an opportunity to build properties that reflect how younger audiences participate, compete, follow and engage with sport today.
