We've seen the backs of many jerseys sporting Virat Kohli's name during the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and that's because most fans wanted gear with King Kohli's name on them, according to FanCode Shop, the merchandise platform of the live sports streaming service FanCode.
FC Shop sells merchandise of all 10 teams and has direct partnerships with eight teams – Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow SuperGiants, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Gujarat Titans.
Fan faves
playR, a sports and lifestyle brand that partnered with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Gujarat Titans during IPL 2025 to provide their merchandise, saw its biggest order run into lakhs.
"Our highest order value this season, which crossed the Rs 1.5 lakh mark came from a D2C (direct to consumer) order for fan engagement," said Ravi Kukreja, Co-founder, playR.
Mumbai Indians saw the highest merchandise sales, while Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR's) retro jersey was also a major hit as the gold and black design resonated with fans.
RCB, among the most popular teams this year, sold out nearly all its fan gear. With the team winning their maiden IPL trophy in 18 years, FC Shop expects more sales in the coming days. "Performance of the team has a major impact on the sales. We saw a spike as soon as RCB made it to the playoffs, and again after they won the title. Just like we saw with KKR last year, when the team clocked the highest sales," an FC Shop spokesperson said.
Merch mania
Both the official fan gear partners highlighted the growing interest among fans for team kits.
"The market is certainly maturing and a lot more fans are now buying official merchandise and jerseys. The different price points for jerseys have proved to be a major hit and made the merchandise more accessible," the spokesperson added.
On FC Shop, jersey prices ranged from Rs 899 to 3,499 this year.
A CSK Dhoni No 7 jersey priced at Rs 1,199 by playR which was available across quick commerce platforms, was sold out on Blinkit in the initial days of IPl 2025. Different variants of the jerseys this year were available in the range of Rs 1,000 to 2,000.
"Q-commerce platforms are enabling quicker delivery, and that’s changed consumer expectations. E-commerce reach has exploded, making it easier for fans in remote towns to access authentic merchandise," Kukreja explained.
This year, playR sold over 1 lakh official jerseys across three IPL teams (CSK, SRH, and Gujarat Titans). "It’s a significant jump from last year and a clear indication that fans are now more inclined to purchase official merchandise. The growth is driven not just by loyalty but also by increasing awareness about the value of authentic products," Kukreja added.
Last year, playR sold about 1,20,000 jerseys across five IPL teams – Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders.
He added that official team jerseys were the top-sellers, especially match-day jerseys and fan editions. "Beyond jerseys, accessories like caps and tees also did well." Fan jerseys are made of lighter materials while match-day jerseys are similar to jerseys worn by athletes that have more functionalities like managing moisture better.
On FC Shop as well, the official jersey remained the fan favourite and sold the most. "Customisation is a growing trend, with fans wanting their or their favourite player's names on their backs. Rohit (Sharma), (Virat) Kohli were the most popular. Among the next generation, (Shubman) Gill and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal are the most popular when it comes to merchandise," FC Shop spokesperson said.
The IPLifestyle
Kukreja pointed out that metros like Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi saw the highest merchandise sales during IPL 2025.
"But what really stood out this year was the massive traction from tier 2 and 3 cities like Indore, Coimbatore, Vizag, Nagpur, and even some parts of northeast India. This kind of spread really showcases how deep IPL’s emotional connect runs across the country," added Kukreja.
He said that smaller towns not only saw a rise in sales volume, but also in repeat orders. "Cities that were previously only viewers are now active consumers. There hasn’t really been a drop from any specific region, which is also a strong indicator of IPL’s growing national appeal." This is driving strong year-on-year growth, both in sales volume and in the average order value.
Along with quick commerce and e-commerce pushing merchandise sales, he pointed out some other key factors driving the demand.
"Awareness of official jerseys is increasing, especially as the price gap between fake and genuine merchandise is narrowing. Exports have also seen a notable rise this year. We’re also seeing increasing orders from the Indian diaspora in the US, UAE, and Australia. The IPL isn’t just a tournament anymore — it’s becoming a full-fledged lifestyle experience, and merchandise is a big part of that," he said.
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