Lunia’s belief that there was a demand and supply mismatch when it came to sports venues was further reinforced when he worked at Sportido, an online sports venue booking aggregator app, between February 2016 and August 2017. “The app was doing well with lots of users, but there was a big problem–not enough places to play sports. When we looked at the number of venues in Delhi vs Bangalore, we realised how widespread this issue was in Delhi NCR,” says Lunia, 33.
In September 2017, Lunia and Surana teamed up to start PlayAll Sports, a sports technology and infrastructure company. “It was a common struggle to find a decent spot to indulge in our favourite sports. That is when we decided to bridge this glaring gap in India’s sports infrastructure,” says Surana 34.
Game and location
The first step for the entrepreneurs was to decide which sports to pick. The company says its decision to focus on sports such as badminton, box-cricket, swimming, futsal, and pickleball are based on some strategic calculations. Surana says these sports enjoy widespread popularity and demand among sports enthusiasts. Their established player bases indicated a potentially larger user pool for sports venue booking service.
These sports are also accessible to individuals of varying skill levels and age groups. Their inclusivity makes them appealing to a broad demographic, increasing the company’s potential customer base. “We closely examined local and global trends in sports participation. Understanding the evolving preferences and interests of potential users helped inform our choices. Additionally, our personal passion and interest in these sports played a role in our decision-making process. This enthusiasm gave us a deeper understanding of the specific needs and preferences of players in these sports,” says Lunia.
Deciding on the sports was the easy bit, but the most significant challenge was the limited land availability for sports infrastructure development. PlayAll Sports says it has adopted a strategic approach to overcome this challenge.
Initially, the company focused on badminton facilities. The company then expanded its offerings to include seven more sports, such as box cricket, football, swimming, and pickleball. This diversification allowed PlayAll to evaluate lands that may not be suitable for a particular sport but can be used in other sports, optimising land utilisation.
“We have forged partnerships with educational institutions to develop and modernise their sports infrastructure. This not only benefits school students by providing access to superior sports facilities but also allows us to maximise utilisation during non-school hours,” says Lunia.
Another approach the company has taken is to utilise the rooftops of malls. “Malls often offer prime locations, and incorporating sports facilities on their rooftops not only capitalises on their strategic positioning but also attracts a regular footfall of visitors interested in sports activities. This creative use of real estate helps us navigate land scarcity challenges effectively,” says Lunia.
Pay and Play
PlayAll has kept it simple with a “pay & play” model. Lunia says this approach, characterised by its flexibility and low cost of entry, has resonated with customers. “The flexibility of our model allows users to enjoy sports on their terms, whether spontaneously or through planned sessions. The low entry barrier removes the financial burden of costly memberships, making sports accessible to a broader audience, even those on tight budgets. Booking aggregators have further simplified the process of finding and reserving sports venues, enhancing convenience for our customers,” says Lunia.
Technology has been instrumental for PlayAll Sports and it has leveraged tech to increase its operational efficiency. Lunia, a self-taught coder, along with some friends, developed the company’s in-house ERP system. “Our in-house ERP system now plays a central role in data-driven decision-making. It provides us with a comprehensive view of critical factors, such as occupancy cycles, customer retention, and engagement. This data empowers us to make informed decisions that optimise our services and customer experience,” says Surana.
As a part of its tech integration, PlayAll has its API integrated with major booking aggregators. “This integration ensures a seamless customer experience. Without technology, managing bookings across multiple platforms would be a daunting task, prone to errors like double bookings for the same slot,” says Surana.
The early adoption of tech, PlayAll Sports says, has been significant in differing from others in the field. Lunia says what has also helped beat competition is its venue selection. “We excel in identifying prime locations for our sports venues. This strategic approach ensures that our facilities are situated where they are most needed and can serve a wide customer base effectively,” says Lunia.
In the game
Kunwar Raj Bhanshali, CEO & Director, Bunkerhill says he has been closely monitoring the sports industry in India. “One of the most prominent trends we’ve observed is the significant impact of the private sector in increasing sports participation. This has resulted in notable improvements in grassroots sports performance, ultimately translating into international medals. We believe that there is a substantial supply deficit, and soon, the private sector along with the government departments will play a pivotal role in addressing this unmet demand. Companies like PlayAll Sports are doing an exceptional job of creating a profitable business model,” says Bhanshali.
Surana says PlayAll Sports wants to build upon its current growth trajectory by adding more sports and centers across India. “Our specific target is to have over 100 centers operational within this timeframe. These centers will serve as hubs for sports enthusiasts, catering to over 5 lakh customers every month. Additionally, we aspire to make a significant impact on sports development by training and nurturing around 10,000 students every month,” says Surana.
The surge in health consciousness, particularly post-pandemic, has had an impact on PlayAll Sports’ growth trajectory. The company says it has observed a 20% increase in short-term and a sustainable 12% rise in occupancy rates across our centers, spanning various sports. “It’s noteworthy that while sports participation in India stands at a mere 2%, sports viewership is notably higher at 60%. In comparison, countries like the US and China boast participation rates exceeding 30%. We believe that India is on track to reach a 30% sports participation rate by the middle of the next decade,” says Surana.
In the initial stages, PlayAll Sports relied primarily on a combination of personal savings and debt to finance its sports infrastructure projects. “However, as we have grown and become a cash-generating and profitable enterprise, our financial strategy has evolved. Currently, we operate in a sustainable model where we reinvest most of our profits into new projects, ensuring continuous expansion and development. We adopt a project-specific approach to fundraising, securing investments as needed when new projects arise. The investment amount can vary, typically ranging from Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 1.5 Crore, depending on the specific sport and the location of the project,” says Lunia.
The company clocked Rs. 4 crore in revenue last fiscal and aims to get to a revenue of Rs. 8 crore this fiscal.
