Performance coaching & mentorship matching for cricket talent
The Opportunity
IPL franchises, state cricket boards, and emerging cricketers (like Connolly) need structured access to retired/veteran coaches and mentors for personalized guidance. Currently, this matching happens ad-hoc through personal networks (Connolly called Shaun Marsh directly). A scalable platform connecting vetted mentors to talent at various stages—with structured accountability and progress tracking—fills a fragmented market where 90% of talent development relies on luck and geography.
Market Size
₹180-220 Cr addressable market — Based on ~400 IPL-eligible cricketers per year + 8,000 state-level serious aspirants + 15,000 academy players. Average spend per talent: ₹2-5 lakh/year for 1:1 or small-group coaching. Additional B2B revenue from franchise academies + state boards.
Business Model
Two-sided marketplace. Charge cricketers/families 15-20% commission on coaching fees (or subscription: ₹5-15K/month for mentor access). Charge coaches/mentors 10% rev-share. Upsell: franchise partnerships for academy talent mapping + board contracts for talent identification. Affiliate revenue from cricket equipment sponsors.
1) Commission on 1:1 coaching bookings (avg ₹2K/session × 50 sessions/mentor/year across 150 active mentors = ₹1.5 Cr). 2) Subscription tier for families (₹1000/month × 5,000 users = ₹6 Cr/year). 3) Franchise academy partnerships (₹10-20 lakh per franchise × 10 franchises = ₹1-2 Cr). 4) Sponsor affiliate fees (equipment, nutrition brands).
Your 30-Day Action Plan
Identify & interview 15-20 retired cricketers + coaches (Ponting's tier down to state-level coaches) to validate mentorship demand + willingness to teach. Map their availability, rate expectations, and past mentee success stories.
Survey 50 IPL families + academy directors on pain points: How do they find mentors today? What would they pay? Build wireframes for mobile app (mentor profile, booking calendar, progress tracking).
Launch MVP: simple web platform (no app yet). Onboard 10-12 mentors (prioritize those with recent IPL/international player referrals like Shaun Marsh). Create landing page targeting Tier-1 cricket academies in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore.
Soft-launch with 1-2 franchises (e.g., PBKS, given Connolly news angle). Offer free premium memberships to first 100 families. Measure: bookings/mentor, NPS, time-to-first-session. Iterate coaching profile UX based on feedback.
Compliance & Regulatory Angle
No specific cricket licensing required. Operate under standard services agreement. GST: 18% (service provision). Terms of Service must include liability waivers (coach-athlete injury disclaimers). Consider partnership with BCCI for talent verification standards (optional, but boosts credibility). Mentors should carry personal accident/liability insurance.
Ready to Act on This Opportunity?
Generate a 7-step execution plan — validate the market, build the MVP, model the financials, map the risks, and ship in 30 days.