Why Virat walked away from PUMA's 300cr deal? The Rise of One8 and Agilitas

 Virat has been one of the greatest batsmen of this era. Apart from playing good cover drives, he loves to drive his business into new directions. In the past, we all have witnessed his ideas and implementation in different ventures like ONE8, WROGN, or launching his own restaurants under the ONE8 franchise as ONE8 Commune (a fine dining restaurant).

courtesy : PUMA INDIA

In recent weeks, Virat and Puma dropped massive news where we got to know about Virat ending his 8-year sponsorship deal worth 100 cr, and reportedly Virat declined to renew the sponsorship deal worth 300 cr with Puma. But what caught everyone's attention is why a popular athlete is denying a massive sponsorship deal. Well, we are here to break it down for you .

Virat Kohli has decided to end his 8-year deal with Puma(Puma)

We all at some point in time have heardabout the brand called ONE8, and we all know it is a brand owned by the one and only Virat Kohli. Under One8 virat have launched his restaurants, sportswear, deodorants, perfumes, etc.

pic courtesy https://www.one8.com/

During his sponsorship with Puma, he also launched many One8 merchandise items in collaboration with Puma. Which got a good response as well , but then Virat, being Virat, never likes things that are a cakewalk, so he decides to take his own brand to a global level with a separate identity.

Kohli's choice reflects a broader trend among global athletes who are moving beyond traditional endorsement roles to become stakeholders in businesses. By investing in Agilitas, a company founded by former Puma India MD Abhishek Ganguly, Kohli aims to leverage his brand value to build and scale One8 independently. This strategy allows him to have a more significant influence over product development, branding, and the overall direction of the company.

https://entrackr.com/2023/12/former-puma-india-execs-startup-agilitas-raises-12-mn-from-nexus/

We all are aware of the brand value Virat Kohli possesses; he now wants to leverage this and explore his path as an investor and a shareholder in Agilitas. While many call it a great move, some criticize this decision. We have seen how Kohli dealt with his critics in the past.

Many fans seem to be supporting this decision by Kohli and are eager to try new merchandise from One8. I, being a super fan, am waiting as well, and only time will tell about the consequences of this decision and what the future holds for Virat in the business domain. The king who conquered the cricket ground will be able to conquer the global and Indian markets.

#viratkohli #pumadeal #agilitas #one8