Branding a new sports league? What we learned from the Maharashtra Premier League
A new league has no history, no famous rivalries and no loyal fans yet. Its brand has to make people care before a single ball is bowled. For the first season of the Maharashtra Premier League, a state-level T20 cricket league, we built the brand identity and ran its marketing and social media. Here is what we learned.
By Saurabh Khatri, founder of The Brand Odyssey. 13 November 2026.
Borrow the energy, not the look
Fans already know what a big T20 league feels like. MPL took its inspiration from the IPL, and the brand had to bring that same sense of occasion to a state league. The trap is copying the look of a bigger league, which makes a new one feel like an imitation. We aimed for the same energy, built on Maharashtra's own cricket culture, so the league felt big and local at the same time.
Design a system, not just a logo
A league brand lives on far more than a logo: team kits, matchday graphics, score cards, player cards, posters, broadcast overlays, tickets and merchandise. Each of these needs to look like part of the same league while leaving room for every team's own colours. Planning that system early saves a lot of rushed design during the season.
Plan content for every match
During a season, content runs on a tight clock: line-ups, live moments, results, player of the match, highlights and the build-up to the next game. For MPL, that meant planning the matchday graphics and player promotions as a set of templates, so content could go out quickly around every match. Speed matters, because fans move on fast.
Make the players the story
Most people do not follow a league. They follow players and teams. Player introductions, behind the scenes moments and local heroes give fans someone to root for. For a new league, building a few familiar faces early does more for engagement than any amount of promotional graphics.
Grow the audience organically first
Over that first season, MPL's content-led approach grew an organic following of over 28,000 on Instagram, with strong engagement around every match. Paid promotion can help, but an audience that arrives because the content is worth following tends to stay for the next season.
Think about season two from day one
A league that works will want to grow: more teams, sponsors, a women's edition, new venues. Clear brand guidelines and a flexible identity make all of that easier, and keep the league recognisable as it changes.
If you are launching a league, a team or a sports brand, see how we approach social media marketing and brand identity, or read the full MPL case study.
Questions people ask us
What does sports league branding include?
Usually the league name and logo, a visual system for teams and matches, kit and merchandise guidelines, matchday graphics, social media templates and a content plan for the season.
How do you build a fan base for a new league?
Lead with players and teams rather than the league itself, post fast during matches, keep the content consistent, and grow organically before relying on paid promotion.
Do you work on sports brands outside Maharashtra?
Yes. We work with clients across India, in the UAE and in Southeast Asia, and most of our planning and content work runs over video calls and shared links.
Launching a league, a team or a sports brand?
Tell us what you are working on. Book a call or send a short brief, and we will come back with how we would approach it.