India’s fast-expanding orange economy, which spans entertainment, culture and live experience, is pushing sports franchises to evolve into lifestyle brands, and the Mumbai Indians are the latest to lean into that shift. In partnership with BookMyShow Live’s BrandLabs, the IPL franchise has launched The MIX (A Mumbai Indians Experience), a two-day experiential festival aimed at transforming how fans engage with the team beyond cricket.
Scheduled for March 21–22, 2026, at Jio World Garden, the event positions the franchise as a cultural platform rather than just a sporting entity. The festival will combine live music, immersive installations, fan zones, merchandise drops and branded experiences showcasing how sports IPs are increasingly intersecting with entertainment and youth culture to build year-round relevance.
Such initiatives reflect a broader trend in the industry with franchises monetising fandom through experiences as media consumption fragments and younger audiences prioritise culture, community and participation over passive viewership. For Mumbai Indians, the move marks a strategic expansion from cricket dominance to brand power across lifestyle, music and digital culture.
MI captain Rohit Sharma invited supporters to join what the franchise described as a first-of-its-kind experience, urging fans to be part of a new way of celebrating the team off the field.
The festival’s music line-up features international electronic duo CamelPhat, Indian hip-hop star Divine, electronic producer Nucleya and other contemporary acts designed to attract a generation that engages with sport through entertainment ecosystems.
A Mumbai Indians spokesperson said the initiative reflects how fandom is evolving: “Cricket will always be at our core, but today’s young fans connect with brands through culture, lifestyle and experiences first. The MIX allows us to meet them where they are.”
BookMyShow Live framed the project as part of a broader push to build branded experiential intellectual properties in India, positioning fans not just as spectators but participants in a shared cultural narrative. Owen Roncon, Chief of Business – Branded IPs, BookMyShow, added, “The MIX is a transformative step in how we reimagine fandom in India… We’re bridging the worlds of cricket and contemporary culture, making sure that fans are not just spectators but active participants in a vibrant, evolving narrative.”
India’s push toward experiential fandom mirrors a global playbook where sports franchises are evolving into entertainment platforms. Clubs such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona now operate immersive stadium tours, museums and fan zones that function as year-round tourist attractions. In the US, Golden State Warriors have transformed the Chase Center into a multi-purpose cultural venue hosting concerts, festivals and community events beyond basketball, while the Los Angeles Rams leverage the SoFi Stadium complex as a destination for large-scale entertainment experiences.
Formula One has similarly expanded its footprint through city-wide fan festivals around races such as the Miami Grand Prix and Singapore Grand Prix, blending sport with music, nightlife and luxury hospitality to attract new audiences. Meanwhile, teams like Paris Saint‑Germain and Manchester City have invested heavily in lifestyle collaborations, pop-up retail and cultural programming to extend their brand influence beyond matchdays.
These initiatives underscore a broader shift: global sports properties are no longer just competition-driven entities but cultural IPs designed to engage fans across entertainment, commerce and community touchpoints throughout the year.
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