The Sport Star Academy business is heading to India with a master franchise agreement signed for the whole country.
Peter Nikolakopoulos told Franchise Executives the new master franchisee has a target of 10 franchises in the first year.
The deal will see 185 opened within five years, and a minimum of 400 franchise units in 10 years.
Gaurav Marya and team Franchise India are the master franchisees.
“Gaurav has years of experience successfully launching international brands into the India market. Gaurav also has a huge network of resources on the ground in India and this was important to us to ensure the most seamless launch as possible,” Nikolakopoulos said.
Delhi to be initial location
The first site to open will be the Indian capital.
“Delhi will become the flagship location later to be used for future training and onboarding new franchisees,” he said.
The Sport Star Academy brand will offer football, basketball, tennis, cricket, hockey and badminton.
“The expansion of Sport Star Academy into the Indian market aims to focus on the following three pillars that will aim to benefit communities,” said Nikolakopoulos.
Skill based development, mental wellbeing, and community building.
Sport Star Academy’s coaching programs will provide young players in India with access to high-quality training and development opportunities.
“Through its programs, Sport Star Academy can help young players in India build strong mental foundations, equipping them to navigate life’s challenges both on and off the field,” he said.
“By establishing sports programs in Indian communities, Sport Star Academy can contribute to community cohesion and foster a sense of belonging among participants. This can lead to stronger social ties, increased civic engagement and a more inclusive society,” said Nikolakopoulos.
SSA has implemented AI to get the expansion message across to its Indian audience in Hindi.
International expansion
The first international agreement SSA signed a year ago for the UAE hit a roadblock, Nikolakopoulos said.
“We chose not to proceed with the original company and are now in discussions with a couple of others. We hope to be in final negotiations before the end of 2024 with a focus to launch in 2025.
“However we have set up our Sport Star Academy International office in Dubai to accommodate all our global expansion.”
