{
  "id": 7476002,
  "title": "NODWIN Gaming forays into mainstream sports; ropes in ex-Adidas lead Gurbaksh Virdi",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/nodwin-gaming-forays-into-mainstream-sports-ropes-in-ex-adidas-lead",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-15T04:39:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "YourStory",
    "slug": "yourstory",
    "url": "https://yourstory.com/2026/09/nodwin-gaming-mainstream-sports-ropes-in-ex-adidas-lead-gurbaksh-virdi"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "NODWIN Gaming has expanded its reach into mainstream sports with the introduction of NODWIN Sports, a new dedicated division led by former Adidas executive Gurbaksh Singh Virdi. This vertical aims to conceptualize and scale modern sports and fitness competitions, develop mass-participation lifestyle properties, and collaborate with various sporting institutions, brands, and rights holders. The operations of NODWIN Sports will be divided into four main areas: creating new-age sports and intellectual properties, engaging with sports governing bodies, forming strategic partnerships, and executing white-label operations.\n\nAkshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, emphasized the importance of sport in bringing people together on a large scale and the changing way audiences consume sports content. Rathee stated that NODWIN Sports will serve as a platform to work with sporting institutions, athletes, brands, and partners to build opportunities that cater to today's younger audiences.\n\nVirdi, who previously served as the Sports Marketing Lead at Adidas India, brings a wealth of experience in sports marketing and intellectual property development. Prior to joining NODWIN Gaming, Virdi held positions at Red Bull, U Sports, Puma, and Cornerstone. He expressed his ambition to create new opportunities for participation in sports and help shape a culture around sport that is accessible, engaging, contemporary, and connected to youth culture.\n\nFounded in 2014, NODWIN Gaming is backed by key investors including Nazara Technologies, Krafton Inc, Sony Group Corporation, and JetSynthesys.",
  "summary": "This vertical will conceptualise and scale modern sports and active fitness competitions, cultivate mass-participation lifestyle properties, and collaborate with federations, governing bodies, rights holders and brands.",
  "key_points": [
    "NODWIN Gaming launches NODWIN Sports division led by former Adidas executive Gurbaksh Virdi",
    "NODWIN Sports aims to conceptualize and scale modern sports and fitness competitions",
    "Virdi brings extensive sports marketing and intellectual property development experience"
  ],
  "editors_take": "NODWIN Gaming's expansion into mainstream sports with Gurbaksh Virdi at the helm signals a strategic shift to tap into the evolving sports consumption habits of younger audiences and capitalize on new opportunities.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}