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Tag: Rooter

  • Game on: Non-RMG takes the winning shot in India

    Game on: Non-RMG takes the winning shot in India

    MUMBAI:  When the chips are down, India’s gamers are levelling up with play without pay. A new report by Mumbai-based VC fund Lightbox says the country could soon shift from being a volume-heavy market to a value-driven gaming powerhouse, as the spotlight moves from real-money games (RMG) to non-real money titles.

    India already has a formidable player base, with nearly 420 million gamers logging in regularly, second only to China. Yet while downloads surge, monetisation lags, with India’s average revenue per user at just 3.03 dollars compared to 68 dollars in China and a hefty 215 dollars in the US. That gap, however, signals massive untapped potential.

    According to Lightbox’s India’s gaming inflection: Non-RMG at scale, the future lies in casual, mid-core and esports titles, fuelled by in-app purchases, ads, and subscriptions. A poll with Rooter revealed that three-quarters of gamers already spend on non-RMG add-ons, with 31 per cent shelling out more than Rs 1,000 each month on battle passes, cosmetics and unlockable content.

    “The question is no longer about scale,” said Lightbox managing partner Sandeep Murthy. “India can leap from a volume-driven market to a value-driven giant. If given the right content and community, gamers will pay.”

    The shift comes on the heels of the Promotion and regulation of online gaming act, 2025, which banned RMG and its advertising. While the crackdown clipped one wing of the industry, it has given non-RMG games legitimacy and fresh tailwinds.

    Advertising and esports are also scoring big. Casual and hyper-casual titles are becoming brand playgrounds, while India’s esports revenue touched 100 million dollars in 2024, with sponsorships making up over half the pie.

    Regional language content and hyper-localisation are further fuelling the boom. Nearly 75 per cent of gamers prefer Hindi or other vernacular titles, while AI-powered storytelling and cloud gaming are tipped to supercharge the next phase of growth.

    Globally, gaming is a 177.9 billion dollars industry set to hit 198 billion dollars by 2027. With its young, mobile-first players, India’s paradox of high play but low pay might just be its superpower, turning the world’s second-largest gamer base into one of its most lucrative.

  • Scoop, score, chill repeat as Mother Dairy drops into esports arena

    Scoop, score, chill repeat as Mother Dairy drops into esports arena

    MUMBAI: When the heat is on and the stakes are high, a scoop of calm can go a long way. And this summer, it came with sprinkles of glory and a side of gaming grit. Mother Dairy has officially levelled up. In a sizzling first, the iconic dairy brand dipped into the world of esports with the Mother Dairy Chillz Cup, a high-octane gaming tournament hosted in partnership with Rooter, India’s largest game streaming and commerce platform. With 64 top teams and over 2,000 gamers facing off in an epic Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) showdown, it wasn’t just about victory, it was about staying cool while doing it.

    And that’s where the magic happened. As players braved virtual crossfire and tactical pressure, Mother Dairy’s ice creams emerged as the real MVPs, cooling the nerves with indulgent favourites like Banoffee Pie, Pina Colada, Filter Coffee Cone, and the ever-quirky Choconado. It was a gaming-meets-gastronomy experience like no other.

    The final clash on May 11, 2025, wasn’t just a gaming finale, it was a festival of fandom. Crowds cheered, creators scooped up frozen delights, and elite teams like iqoo Soul, Godlike, and Revenant X Spark brought their A-game in front of roaring fans.

    Speaking about the collaboration, Mother Dairy Spokesperson said, “Ice creams are all about excitement and fun. We are thrilled to partner with Rooter for the Mother Dairy Chillz Cup, marking our entry into the dynamic and fast-growing world of esports. This association enables us to connect with a younger audience through a platform that thrives on energy, engagement, and innovation. The Chillz Cup truly embodies our brand’s youthful spirit and commitment to delivering the coolest experiences.”

    Rooter founder and CEO Piyush said “We’ve always believed in creating meaningful partnerships that bring value to both the gaming community and our brand partners. The Chillz Cup was a great example of how a legacy brand like Mother Dairy could connect with a digital-first audience in their native environment, making it a fun, and memorable experience. The Chillz Cup captured the cool spirit of gaming staying calm under pressure and outplaying rivals with a cool head just like enjoying a scoop of ice-cold Mother Dairy Ice Cream on a hot day. We are proud to collaborate on a campaign that celebrates high-performance gaming while adding an element of summer joy to the esports experience”

    From frosty cones to fiery comebacks, the Chillz Cup didn’t just serve scoops, it served up a new era of brand storytelling in gaming. And with esports now firmly on Mother Dairy’s menu, the summer just got a whole lot cooler.
     

  • SoulCity, Rooter & IGMC collaborate for Indian GTA V rumble

    SoulCity, Rooter & IGMC collaborate for Indian GTA V rumble

    Mumbai: SoulCity, S8UL’s GTA V arm, has partnered with Rooter and Indonesia GTA V Masters Championship (IGMC) to launch the premier edition of the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational. The tournament is set to be a defining moment for the game in India, with a novel battle royale format conceptualized by Rooter.

    Designed to enhance competitiveness, the format will create opportunities for the teams to display their skills through decisive face-offs. Known for its continued support of new initiatives in the GTA V landscape, SoulCity hopes to drive this initiative to success.

    The tournament will be a platform for both veteran GTA V creators & talented new entrants to compete and make a mark in the country’s GTA V scene. It will see participation from 20 teams—10 invited and 10 qualified—who will compete on the GTA V map using the innovative ‘Battleground’ concept, all vying for a total prize pool of INR 2 lakh. The open qualifiers have been scheduled for May 17-19 and May 24-26, with the playoffs set for May 31st to 2nd June. The grand finals will take place from June 7-9.

    Since its inception, SoulCity has leveraged the expertise of S8UL to help grow the GTA V landscape in India. In addition to S8UL, industry veteran & SoulCity co-owner, Kumar Swetank plays a key role in executing the vision of SoulCity. With a proven track record in branding, marketing, distribution, and connections to top teams in the GTA V community, SoulCity will be pivotal in the success of this pioneering IP.

    Sharing his thoughts on the tournament, Lokesh Jain aka 8Bit Goldy, co-founder of S8UL stated, “Building on the immense success of SoulCity’s star-studded server, we are thrilled to introduce the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational. This initiative will not only showcase the remarkable talent within the Indian Esports community but it also aligns perfectly with SoulCity’s vision of expanding the GTA V community in India. By joining forces with Rooter and IGMC, we aim to create a unique gaming experience that brings out the best GTA V action while providing an opportunity for budding players to shine.”

    Rooter, the country’s largest gaming and Esports content platform will be organizing and planning the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational to ensure a seamless execution and an engaging experience for all participants.

    Speaking about the GTA bottle-royale concept they’ve designed, Dipesh Agarwal, co-founder and COO, Rooter said “When it comes to gaming entertainment, GTA is a fan favourite in the country. But we believe there is a deep potential for building more interesting esports propositions around the game. With our category-defining IP, we are confident of setting a new benchmark for competitive play in GTA, while delivering top-notch gaming entertainment. We are excited to have partners like S8UL and IGMC as we get ready to deliver an unforgettable experience to fans and players alike.”

    When asked, Kumar Swetank, co-owner of SoulCity, expressed his excitement about the tournament and mentioned, “Since the inception, my goal has been to provide a more enriching GTA V experience to all involved and to create new opportunities in the country. I am glad that we are taking this step forward in that direction. Looking forward to making this a smooth tournament for all teams, viewers, and fans.”

    Alongside SoulCity and Rooter, Indonesia-based IGMC will be contributing to the tournament’s prominence by offering a dedicated GTA V server tailored to meet regional requirements as well as providing resources for broadcasting and advertising, along with technical support.

    Grand Theft Auto V has sold over 195 million copies worldwide since its 2013 launch, according to Statista. In December 2023, its user engagement reached 30.8 million monthly active users across PCs and consoles, following the release of its highly anticipated sequel.

    The ten invited teams comprising the nation’s notable GTA V streamers and servers are as follows:

    – Team PitajiPlayz – Team Name: Say Less

    – Team HeadFlicker – Team Name: Genz

    – Team Rusherw0w – Team Name: Redline

    – Team Masoom + Rebel – Team Name: Illusion

    – Team Mercy + Mafia – Team Name: Contract Killers

    – Team Snax + Joker – Team Name: ChaarCB

    – Team Viper + Akshu – Team Name: RIP

    – Team NX T8

    – Team PewPew

    – Team Rooter

    Teams of four can register for the open qualifiers through the SoulCity server on Discord.

    The exciting matches of the Indian GTA V Rumble Invitational will kick off at 6 PM, with four to six games each day. The first two matches will be streamed on both YouTube and Rooter, while the rest will be available exclusively on Rooter.

    Additionally, creators exclusively associated with SoulCity will offer POV (Point of View) streams, allowing them to share their unique perspectives throughout the tournament.

  • 8Bit Creatives partners with Rooter to elevate India’s gaming content landscape

    8Bit Creatives partners with Rooter to elevate India’s gaming content landscape

    Mumbai: 8Bit Creatives, India’s leading gaming influencer talent management agency has partnered with Rooter, the country’s largest gaming and esports content platform to bolster the nation’s gaming creator economy.

    This collaboration will see 8Bit Creatives’ notable gaming influencers, PC gamers, and GTA roleplay creators, such as Tanmay Singh aka ScoutOp, Parv Singh aka Regaltos, Raj Varma aka Snax, Salman Ahmad aka 8Bit Mamba, Mithul Nayak aka 8Bit Binks stream and curate engaging content on the Rooter platform.

    By merging the reach of 8Bit Creatives’ creators with Rooter’s distribution and ssolutions, the partnership aims to significantly enhance access to diverse and engaging gaming content for audiences across the country. At the same time, the partners will be developing multiple avenues for brands and advertisers to engage deeply with India’s passionate gaming community.

    8Bit Creatives founder & CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug expressed the significance of the partnership with Rooter for the Indian Esports industry. He stated, “Our collaboration with Rooter will act as a catalyst for the sustained growth of India’s gaming creator economy. We are excited to bring our gaming influencers and creators to a platform that shares our vision for excellence in gaming content as well as the prosperity of the community. Together, we aim to create an immersive and unparalleled gaming experience for millions of fans across the nation.”

    Gaming is now the top entertainment choice and source of social connection for India’s young demographic, attracting both endemic and non-endemic brands eager to connect with this audience. Industry leaders like 8Bit Creatives and Rooter have been building multiple brand solutions on the back of engaging content experiences. Investing in strengthening them will also be a cornerstone of this collaboration.

    Underlining the shared focus behind the partnership, Rooter co-founder and COO Dipesh Agarwal said “8Bit Creatives shares our strong drive to unlock massive growth opportunities for the Indian Gaming ecosystem and we are excited to collaborate with a partner like them. We’ve been facilitating multiple monetization opportunities for creators through partnerships with ~100 brands, fan donations, and more. With this collaboration, we will be working closely with the 8Bit Creatives team to elevate value creation for the creator community. We also aim to develop innovative marketing playbooks and solutions at the intersection of gaming, content, pop culture, and social media, which will establish new operating benchmarks for the ecosystem.”

    According to Niko Partners’ ‘India Games Market’ report, India’s video game market is the fastest growing by gamers and revenue and the number of gamers across all platforms in India is forecast to reach 641.2 million in 2027, growing at a five-year CAGR of 10.1 per cent.

    The association between 8Bit Creatives and Rooter promises to usher in a new era of high-quality content, engagement, and an overall enriched gaming experience for fans.

  • Nodwin Gaming and Star Sports announce BGMI season 2 with Rooter as the digital streaming partner

    Nodwin Gaming and Star Sports announce BGMI season 2 with Rooter as the digital streaming partner

    Mumbai: NODWIN Gaming, one of the world’s leading emerging market gaming and esports media company, in association with Star Sports, India’s leading sports broadcaster, has announced the highly anticipated return of India’s biggest esports tournament, BGMI Masters Series.  Building upon its record-shattering success in season 1, the upcoming season 2 of the BGMI Masters Series which kicks off on August 4, will feature 24 teams, and offer one of the highest-ever prize pools of INR 2.1 crore (over USD 250K) for a non-publisher event. 

    Among the 24 teams, 14 esports outfits will be invited directly, while the remaining 10 spots are to be earned by the victors from the Open Qualifier where anyone in India can participate. The high-octane live broadcast of the BGMI Masters Series Season 2 will kick off at 9:30 pm on the Star Sports Network and Rooter. 

    The television broadcast of the inaugural season of the BGMI Masters Series (2022) was a tremendous success, garnering over 36 million viewers over the course of the tournament. In celebration of that success, BGMI Masters Series Season 2 will be broadcast on Star Sports in three different languages – Hindi, English, and Tamil. This initiative undertaken by NODWIN Gaming, and Star Sports aims to connect core esports with viewers from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds, making esports content more inclusive and appealing to a broader audience. Beyond the regular broadcast, Star Sports has also announced additional programming to provide viewers with a distinctive and enriching esports experience, setting the popular sports network as a key destination for BGMI enthusiasts. 

    Commenting on the new season of the BGMS Masters Series, NODWIN Gaming co-founder & managing editor, Akshat Rathee said, “Last year, we took a bold and historical leap of faith by airing the BGMI Masters Series on primetime television with our partners Star Sports. That leap turned out to be an incredible success, revolutionizing the esports ecosystem and transforming how esports is traditionally consumed in India. BGMS season 2 doubles down on our commitment to bringing the epitome of BGMI esports to the masses. We have a larger prize pool, larger participation base, and larger distribution with all our partners. We are sure that this year we will amaze you with the games, the production, and the passion only our community can bring. Remember to tune in with your family!”

    Speaking about the upcoming season, Disney Star head – sports, Sanjog Gupta said, “Esports is a rapidly emerging category, fueled by the growing gaming culture in India and the global acknowledgement of its status as a sport. The first season of the BGMI Masters’ series, in partnership with NODWIN Gaming, was positioned as the pinnacle tournament for the game in India and demonstrated the potential of a world-class esports competition staged at an elevated scale. Over 36 million viewers tuned in for the first season on TV with more than 40% below the age of 21. Encouraged by the results, we believe that this endeavor – BGMI Masters – will excite the gaming community, drive wider acceptance for esports among non-gamers, and overall, engage a younger demographic on our platforms.”

    The digital broadcast of the Masters Series 2022 followed suit with the television broadcasts’ record-breaking performance and surpassed the 100 million viewership milestone, setting a new record in the history of Indian esports. For the upcoming BGMI Masters Series Season 2, NODWIN Gaming has announced its partnership with India’s biggest gaming and esports content platform Rooter as the championship’s digital streaming partner. Rooter’s expertise in delivering sharply crafted streaming experiences and an extensive distribution ecosystem across Android, iOS, web, and connected TV, will contribute to NODWIN Gaming’s objective of setting the benchmark for esports audience experience within the ecosystem.

    Speaking about the association, Rooter co-founder & COO, Dipesh Agarwal said, “NODWIN Gaming’s BGMI Masters Series has become the biggest and most loved esports IP in the country, and we are excited to be their exclusive digital streaming partner. From multi-platform distribution strength to sharp, tech-led content creation solutions, we’ve been pushing the boundaries of how Indians consume and engage with esports. For the tournament, we are geared to deliver the rich and immersive viewing experience that fans expect from us, even as we create more interactive avenues for them to root for their favorite teams. The much-awaited Master Series is also a great opportunity for brands to connect with the gaming community in a highly engaging setting. We are now actively working with multiple brands to help them reach out to the community through our media solutions like sponsorships, advertising campaigns, creator marketing, and more.”

    NODWIN Gaming has also announced its partnership with Indian two-wheeler manufacturing giant TVS Motor Company as the mobility partner for the upcoming season of the BGMI Masters Series. Under the aegis of this collaboration, TVS Raider, the leading sporty commuter from TVS will exclusively be the mobility partner of the BGMI Masters Series Season 2. 

    The BGMI Masters Series Season 2 promises an even more intense showdown than its previous edition. Mass-favorite esports powerhouses from last year’s tournament have undergone significant roster changes, and with emerging underdog teams qualifying from the preceding qualifiers, an exciting David vs. Goliath narrative could be on the cards. Furthermore, the community might even witness an unexpected turn of events, heralding the arrival of a new BGMI powerhouse.  

    The newest season of the BGMI Masters Series is set up to be a magnificent celebration of gaming excellence, exhibiting exhilarating gameplay, and unforgettable esports moments delivered exclusively to the community by NODWIN Gaming, Star Sports, Rooter, and TVS.

    NODWIN Gaming invites all to embark on this thrilling journey as the Indian esports community witnesses the rise of the next generation of BGMI Masters. This remarkable journey marks a significant paradigm shift within the Indian esports industry, unveiling many untapped opportunities for esports organizations to expand their regional dominance and for brands seeking fresh advertising avenues.

  • Rooter signs up exclusive eSports deal with GodLike

    Rooter signs up exclusive eSports deal with GodLike

    Indian game streaming platform Rooter is now taking a major leap by signing a deal with the country’s most prominent and powerful eSports team GodLike.

    The partnership deal will provide Rooter exclusive live streaming rights broadcasted by GodLike for games such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Garena Free Fire, Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) and new forms of live gaming content. This partnership is stated to be the biggest eSports deal in Indian history.

    According to a report, interestingly, GodLike also signed an exclusive streaming partnership deal with Loco. The latter, too, was a partnership of unspecified value, and six gamers from GodLike’s roster will now be streaming their BGMI, Free Fire and CODM sessions on Rooter instead.

    During the announcement, Rooter said that the partnership is part of the company’s net investment of Rs 100 crore in the Indian esports industry. Also, the partnership between the two entities will not be limited to game streaming, as Rooter will also serve as a sponsor for GodLike in all the upcoming tournaments and events.

    Fans can catch the currently active content creators from GodLike on Rooter. They include, ‘Jonathan’ Amaral, Abhijeet ‘Ghatak’ Andhare, Abhishek ‘ZGOD’ Choudhary, Vivek ‘ClutchGod’ Horo, Suraj ‘Neyoo’ Majumdar, and Ashpreet ‘Gill’ Singh.

    Sharing his excitement on this partnership, Rooter co-founder and COO Dipesh Agarwal said, “GodLike is one of the most popular teams in the Indian eSports ecosystem and we foresee building a long-term relationship with them. Having their roster of professional gamers as part of our massive community will give the fans tons of exclusive content and a chance to interact with their favourite streamers. This is the biggest deal ever signed in India’s esports ecosystem, and by joining forces with GodLike, we look forward to building an enormous and competitive community of streamers and influencers on our platform.”

    Further Godlike eSport director Amar Sanjay Chandgude said, “We are thrilled to partner with the country’s most popular game streaming platform. The speed of innovation and the incredible gaming experience Rooter offers reaffirms its commitment to scale eSports in India. GodLike eSports is known for exploring and nurturing gaming talent across India. They have created India’s leading teams in Bgmi, Free Fire and Codm. The team is on a mission to build the most successful eSports ecosystem the world has ever witnessed.”

  • Orangutan signs Rooter as its official streaming partner

    Orangutan signs Rooter as its official streaming partner

    Mumbai: Orangutan Gaming has joined hands with Rooter as its official streaming partner. Both brands are committed to accelerating the growth of e-sports in India together.

    This partnership was announced with the hashtag #RootForOrangutan along with a series of fun videos starring the FreeFire and BGMI athletes from Orangutan.

    “The brands hope to provide the finest quality streams and content as a result of this collaboration,” said the statement.

    Orangutan will now be co-powered by Rooter, which will also be featured on the Orangutan’s official team jersey. To which the athletes of Orangutan gaming will exclusively stream on Rooter and entertain their fans with various unique content. Fun and entertaining streams for their followers, as well as streaming other competitions on their Rooter accounts.

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Orangutan (@orangutan.gg)

    “If skills are an athlete’s weapon, then fans are their armor. Partnering with India’s largest broadcasting and gaming platform will bring the ape army closer together, by connecting them to their favorite athletes,” commented Orangutan co-founder and head of partnerships Jai Shah. “This will help us build a stronger community and we certainly know that the best is around the corner.”

    “We are ecstatic to announce our partnership with Orangutan, which has one of the most exciting rosters across BGMI, Valorant and other games,” remarked Rooter co-founder and COO Piyush Kumar. “It’s amazing to see how they have grown over the last few months to become one of the most popular teams in the country. This will open up new opportunities for both Rooter & Orangutan to create new content for our users on the platform.”

  • Rooter acquires media rights to Skyesports’ IPs for one year

    Rooter acquires media rights to Skyesports’ IPs for one year

    Mumbai: In what is said to be one of the largest media rights deals in e-sports, homegrown game streaming platform Rooter has acquired the media rights for all of Skyesports’ IP for the next one year.

    As one of the biggest e-sports tournament organisers in South Asia, Skyesports conducts competitions under its self-owned IPs. Going forward, all of Skyesports’ original competitions will be broadcast exclusively on Rooter. The tournaments will be streamed in several languages which include Hindi, English, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu.

    Last year, Skyesports generated more than 200 million viewers across all its tournaments and achieved a peak concurrent viewership record of 221,000 during the Skyesports Championship 3.0 BGMI finals, said the statement.

    In January, Rooter raised $25 million in its series A funding round led by Lightbox, March Gaming, and Duane Park Ventures. Last week, the company also teamed up with the dominant BGMI team, OR Esports, as its official broadcast partner.

    “Skyesports is renowned for hosting some of the major esports tournaments in the country,” said Rooter co-founder and COO Dipesh Agarwal. “Teaming up with a platform redefining Indian e-sports, this comes as a landmark deal for both entities. Rooter is the fastest growing gaming platform in India and we will help Skyesports reach millions of fans who will get the best e-sports content exclusively on Rooter. We also look forward to working with Shiva and the rest of the team to provide multiple engagement opportunities for fans with e-sports teams on Rooter’s platform.”

    “Our goal has always been to make Skyesports’ IPs, which have been homegrown in India, more accessible,” said Skyesports founder and CEO Shiva Nandy. “I am sure that our e-sports content will feel right at home on Rooter’s platform. Additionally, by distributing the media rights, we are empowering Rooter to implement strategies to further engage our already large audience. We look forward to closely working with them throughout the year to enhance the watching experience for the viewers while building e-sports from the grassroots level and launching more premium IPs.”

    “With Skyesports, we envisioned the creation of a closely-knit e-sports ecosystem at the grassroots level. It’s a pleasure to have Rooter join us as a partner and we look forward to working together with them to be able to accelerate our growth in terms of viewership in India,” said JetSynthesys founder and CEO Rajan Navani.

    Earlier this month, Skyesports unveiled its roadmap for 2022 with more than $530,000 in prize money up for grabs across several competitions.

  • Rooter launches the latest version of its app- Rooter 3.0; promises to redefine ‘Live Sports Engagement’ with the first-ever Live Fantasy Game for cricket in India

    Rooter launches the latest version of its app- Rooter 3.0; promises to redefine ‘Live Sports Engagement’ with the first-ever Live Fantasy Game for cricket in India

    MUMBAI: Having created ripples in the global sports fan engagement domain by transforming sports viewing into a shared experience, Rooter, the first-of-its-kind live social sports engagement platform is now upping the game with the launch of a new and improved version of its app, Rooter 3.0.  Featuring a world-class, flexible user interface that appeals to global audiences, the latest update makes several exciting new additions to the platform, most prominent of them being the introduction of a Sports Social Feed and the first-ever Live Fantasy Game in India for cricket.

    Rooter, which introduced the concept of Live Sports Engagement for fans 18 months ago, has overhauled its entire interface to provide the most stunning, world-class user experience across 8 different sports, including Cricket, Football, Tennis, Hockey, Basketball, Badminton, Formula 1, and Kabaddi. No other platform in its domain caters to such an extensive array of sporting disciplines. In a first, the platform’s latest avatar also introduces Sports Social Feed, a personalized newsfeed containing live sporting information sourced from the top sports social media channels spread all over the world. So the next time you enter in an intense sporting discussion about rumoured transfer movements of footballers or current statistics about your favourite batsman, let Rooter 3.0 be your hands-on expert!

    Furthermore, Rooter has also introduced a never-seen-before social gaming experience for sports fans on its platform with the Live Fantasy Cricket game that allows users to pick any four players during a live match and compete with their friends in real-time on the basis of the players’ performances. This innovative feature will soon be made available for live football matches as well.

    Speaking on the announcement, Piyush Kumar , Founder & CEO – Rooter, said, “As avid sports fans ourselves, we always strive to make the experience of viewing sports as interesting as the actual ‘game’. Rooter 3.0 is a step further towards realizing this vision, leveraging cutting-edge technology to introduce a bevy of features, games and in-app experiences to help users interact, compete and stay on top of sporting events across the world. Having already received a highly encouraging response to the app update from our existing user base, we are confident that Rooter 3.0 will deliver a more immersive, engaging, and social experience to ardent fans across the world, fuelling their passion for sports further!”

    The live match engagement aspect on the Rooter platform has also been enhanced significantly for a more seamless, intuitive, and native in-app experience. Users can now engage with an ongoing match in the way they want, checking scores, playing the match prediction game, or just scrolling through the feed for the latest videos and news from the world of sports. In a first, passionate sports fans and Rooter users can now also play match related games, win badges and proudly showcase them on their profiles.

    Rooter has been at the forefront of realizing, and utilizing the tremendous potential of social engagement derived from sports, a space which is only now being focussed upon by OTT players by introducing ‘Play Along’ features with live match. Rooter, however, has remained at the top of its game of knowing the quirks of a sports fan’s behaviour, and has implemented such insights to perfection in its latest offering. With Rooter 3.0, it’s ‘game on’ like never before!

  • Sports platform Rooter raises funds from Kwan Entertainment, Prantik Dasgupta & Boman Irani

    Sports platform Rooter raises funds from Kwan Entertainment, Prantik Dasgupta & Boman Irani

    MUMBAI: Rooter, a sports social platform that connects sports fans and engages them during live sporting events, has announced the successful completion of a part of its angel investment round. Enabled by Kwan Entertainment, the round was led by Bollywood star Boman Irani and saw participation from Kwan Entertainment partner Dhruv Chitgopekar and corporate professional and avid sports enthusiast Prantik Dasgupta.

    The funds secured will be used to strengthen the technology team at Rooter as well as to create strategic partnerships with various sports platforms, teams, fan clubs and associations.

    “Rooter is based on the inherent need of sports fans to connect and interact with one another across the real and the digital worlds. The idea behind Rooter was unique and interesting, which is why we have been able to raise funds from investors such as Boman, Dhruv and Prantik. This comes as a major shot in the arm for us, and encourages us to push on and use technology to make the sports consumption experience even better and more enjoyable,” said Rooter founder and CEO Piyush.

    Offering a chance for sports fans to connect with one another across real and virtual worlds, the mobile-based platform helps users engage with others sharing their passion. With its focus on smart technology, Rooter takes sporting interactions beyond generic social media platforms by allowing fans to connect through pre-match quizzes and chat forums, unique live match prediction games and post-match interactions in order to share their insights, predictions, analysis and opinions of the game.

    The involvement of Kwan Entertainment underlines the potential of Rooter in the Indian as well as the global sports market. The investment also marks the Irani’s investment in the growing start-up landscape.

    Irani added, “I am proud to be part of the world’s first platform that connects sports fans and engages them to discuss, predict, quiz and even meet offline during the world’s most exciting sporting events. With Rooter’s unique approach, likeminded sporting buddies around the world are now one.”

    Initially focussing on the Indian market, Rooter’s primary emphasis will be on football events such as European club football seasons and Indian Super League (ISL). The platform will also be offering engagement opportunities to cricket fans across India ahead of the ongoing cricket season. Other niche sports, such as F1 and NBA, will also be covered, providing Indian sports enthusiasts a chance to interact with their peers and revel in their passion for their preferred sports.