'India’s Sports Retail Industry Could Grow 100-Fold In Two Decades,' Says Total Sports Founder Niteen Shah

India's sports retail industry is at an inflection point and could grow 100-fold over the next two decades as participation increases and new markets emerge beyond major cities, according to Niteen Shah, founder and managing director of Total Sports and Fitness.

Shah, who has spent more than two decades in the sports and fitness business, recently launched his book, Sports Retail, as part of the International Institute of Sports Management (IISM), Mumbai's Knowledge Series.

"I am honoured and absolutely privileged to be part of the Knowledge Series that IISM has been building," Shah said, thanking IISM founder and former India cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni and the institute's faculty.

Shah has been associated with IISM as a knowledge partner and has interacted with students on sports retail management. The institute subsequently approached him to write the book.

He said one of the chapters closest to his heart explores the history of sports goods manufacturing and retail in India. The book also chronicles his personal journey, including failures and the story of Total Sports and Fitness.

Apart from offering an insight into the industry, Shah said the book provides Indian and global perspectives on sports retail and is intended as an academic resource for students.

The book was recently released in Delhi at the Sportscom Forum, which Shah said was incubated by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The launch was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, CII and the sporting goods industry.

Looking ahead, Shah expects significant expansion in sports retail.

"We are at an inflection point, and sports retail is going to grow exponentially from here. It can grow around 100 times from where we are in the next 20 years," he said.

E-commerce, he believes, will play a major role. Total Sports and Fitness is also relaunching its online portal, which Shah said would help athletes discover products while providing educational and informative content.

On India's efforts to develop sporting talent, Shah said grassroots participation and structured training were crucial. Medals, he said, were the result of quality training, nutrition, strength and fitness conditioning, and mental preparation.

"The Government of India is very focused on creating a culture of sports and fitness so that more and more children participate," he said.

Shah also believes emerging recreational sports such as pickleball can encourage greater participation. At 63, he continues to play the sport himself.

"Pickleball is a social sport. We play with friends and family. It's a fun sport, and there is no better way to remain fit and healthy than through sport," he said.

While pickleball has sometimes been associated internationally with older players, Shah said the trend in India was different, with youngsters and corporate groups increasingly taking it up.

He also rejected the perception that quality sporting equipment was necessarily expensive. Indian-made products, including equipment sold under Total Sports and Fitness' own label, could provide affordable alternatives, he said.

Shah sees substantial opportunities in smaller cities as organised sports and fitness expand beyond India's metros. Total Sports and Fitness already has stores in Dharmapuri and Hosur in Tamil Nadu, while outlets are coming up in Khammam in Telangana and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

"The real talent lies in tier two, tier three and tier four cities," he said, adding that smaller cities offered considerable business potential.

For children, Shah advocated making physical activity an integral part of education rather than viewing sport solely as a competitive pursuit.

"We require a structured programme in schools. There should be at least one or two hours of sporting activities three times a week as part of the school curriculum," he said. "That will bring about a huge change in the way we look at sports."