Cricket commands one of the largest and most passionate fan bases in the world, with over a billion followers globally. Reddit wants their attention.
The social media platform is tapping into the sport’s massive popularity in India and other regions to draw more sports fans into its platform.
On June 18, Reddit announced that it has appointed cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar as its new global brand ambassador.
As part of this collaboration, sports fans will have opportunities to engage with Tendulkar in Reddit communities, including the fan-operated community r/SachinTendulkar, starting this month. Tendulkar will "share personal reflections, match insights, and exclusive content through his official Reddit profile", the company said in a statement.
In the coming months, Tendulkar will also appear in a new marketing campaign for Reddit in India as well as other markets throughout the world, it said.
“For me, cricket has always been about that pure connection with people, on and off the field. In getting to know Reddit, what stands out is the sheer passion that brings its communities together,” Tendulkar said.
“I’m especially looking forward to discovering conversations on r/IndiaCricket and r/IndianSports. It’s a unique platform where people truly share what they love. This association gives me an opportunity to connect with fans in new ways and celebrate our shared love for sports” he added.
The move comes amid rising engagement in cricket-focused communities, also known as subreddits, which is helping drive user adoption on Reddit globally, particularly in India.
Fan communities like r/IndiaCricket and r/MumbaiIndians recorded year-on-year (YoY) growth of 73 percent and 58 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of 2025. Reddit stated that cricket communities on its platform attracted over 3.7 billion screenviews globally in the past 12 months and saw 32 million engagements, including posts, votes, and comments, during the same period.
"Sachin Tendulkar possessed a remarkable ability to transcend boundaries and unite people through his extraordinary talent. His presence on the field fostered a powerful sense of community among fans, who were drawn together by their shared admiration for the "Master Blaster," said Reddit’s Vice President of International Growth, Durgesh Kaushik.
"This unifying community spirit is precisely what we aim to empower and cultivate at Reddit. We envision Reddit’s cricket communities becoming vibrant digital spaces where fans from every corner of the globe can come together, connect, and share their passion for the sport, and most importantly, engage directly with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar," he said.
The announcement also comes as Reddit steps up efforts to expand its international user base beyond the United States, aiming to scale its advertising business. India has emerged as a key market for both user growth and revenue.
Sports is also among the fastest-growing interest groups on Reddit, with over 1,000 communities connecting highly engaged fans as of the end of 2024, the company stated.
Earlier this year, Reddit announced a partnership with Serie A, the professional football league in Italy to bring more sports content onto the platform. Last year, it also announced a similar partnership programme with major US professional sports leagues, including NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA Tour and Nascar to improve the fan experience.
This includes offering video highlights from games and tournaments, behind-the-scenes videos, Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions with players, and content posted by the leagues throughout their seasons.
Reddit reported advertising revenues of $358.6 million for the first quarter of 2025 (Q1 2025), registering a 61 percent growth YoY. The company’s average global daily active unique users (DAUq) increased 31 percent YoY to 108.1 million for the quarter.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
