Now Reading: Abhishek Bachchan says he never saw sports as a business
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Abhishek Bachchan says he never saw sports as a business
Abhishek Bachchan has revealed he never viewed his sports investments as a business, in a conversation with PwC India Chairperson Sanjeev Krishan on the podcast Future Unplugged. Bachchan traced his love for sport to his father Amitabh Bachchan, who taught him kabaddi in their garden and introduced him to global icons like Muhammad Ali and Pele.
His entry into professional sports ownership began with the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabaddi League. He moved to Jaipur before the first season, trained with players and monitored their diet. The same hands-on approach guided his investment in Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League. Bachchan said his accountant is not happy that he still does not treat it as a business.
Bachchan is now co-founder of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), a professional T20 club competition across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. He said Europe was the last major cricket market without a T20 league. He emphasised putting his own capital in first and attracting owners like Steve Waugh, Faf du Plessis and Rahul Dravid.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both outlets present nearly identical straight reportage of the podcast interview. The coverage is uniform neutral-report, with neither source adding independent analysis or questioning Bachchan's claims. Bollywood Hungama frames the story as a celebrity profile emphasising legacy-building, while Times of India leads with the father-son angle and adds upcoming film releases. Neither source examines the business viability of the ETPL or the commercial performance of his existing teams. A careful reader should note that Bachchan's accountant reportedly disapproves of his approach, suggesting tension between passion and profitability that neither outlet explores.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): bollywoodhungama.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
