London, Thursday 12 June, 2025- Ravi Krishnan, a pioneer in sports marketing and entrepreneurship, has announced the launch of Abler Sports & Entertainment (ASE) – a full-service enterprise focused on the rising tide of global sport and popular culture. The company aims to support ambitious rightsholders, brands, and celebrities who are not fully served by existing players in the industry.
Krishnan, former Managing Director of IMG India/South Asia and Vice Chairman of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, highlighted the focus of his latest venture, stating, “We are launching ASE to capitalize on several ‘rising tides’ such as the recognition of intellectual property (IP) in creating enterprise value, the growing significance of India and emerging markets for rightsholders, brands, and celebrities with global ambitions, the rise of women’s sport, and the convergence of sport with other forms of popular culture, including music, fashion, and food.”
Peter Hutton, a media veteran and former CEO of Eurosport and Fox Sports Asia, who worked with Krishnan at IMG, also showed his support, stating, “I’m very pleased to see the scale of their ambition and their original approach to doing business in an evolving ecosystem. I believe ASE is building something unique in its efforts to bring the world to India and take India to the world.”
ASE has the support of a distinguished investor group and advisory board with over 300 years of combined experience across media, technology, sports, and private equity. This group includes notable names such as Mike Dolan, former Chairman of IMG and CEO of Bacardi, Jim Glover, former Deputy Chairman of CSM and CEO of EMEA at ARENA Group, Prapti Anand, former APAC Leader at Fondation Chanel, and Ashutosh Srivastava, former CEO APAC at GroupM.
Krishnan further added, “We are humbled that some of the industry’s most experienced, successful, and reputable individuals have joined us as investors and advisors to help us positively disrupt an industry at multiple inflection points. We are building an enterprise that operates at the intersection of content, community, and commerce.”
Krishnan’s Stepathlon, a fan engagement and data platform, now powers ASE’s Engage Division. It leverages the natural synergies between wellness and sports and has been trusted by global brands such as Manchester City, Gujarat Titans, and the upcoming 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. It has redefined fan engagement by focusing on awareness to action, data-backed engagement, and converting “profitless volume” into meaningful, measurable, actively engaged communities.
ASE marks a natural progression in Krishnan’s three-decade-long journey, which has seen him build lasting IPs and businesses that have had a lasting impact. He states, “There is no truly global organization that can create, compete, and collaborate across both developed and emerging markets, be a bridge between the analog and digital, and deliver value to all stakeholders in an industry undergoing seismic shifts in consumption, commerce, and creativity, increasingly impacted by data and AI.”
With key global nodes in the UK, India, US, and Australia, ASE works across six verticals – ASE Engage powered by Stepathlon (Fan Engagement and Data Platform), ASE Alive (Events & Experiential), ASE Advisory (Market Entry, Brand, Revenue, and Raise), ASE Partnerships (for Brands, Rights Holders, Celebrities), ASE Media (Non-Live Content & Platform-Native Storytelling), and ASE Consumer (Licensing & Merchandising).
Even before its official launch, ASE has closed five deals with international partners across three divisions and has a strong and growing blue-chip pipeline of clients. One of its first clients is Destination Sport Group (DSG), a world leader in sports travel that works with over 100 sports organizations including elite teams, federations, governing bodies, and major events. DSG is now establishing its India business. James Robinson, Global Business Development Director at DSG, explains why they chose Krishnan and his team, “Partnering with ASE has been the right decision. As a truly global organization with an extensive and impressive network of contacts, ASE brings a unique depth and breadth of expertise to the table. Their professionalism, diligence, and attention to detail have been exceptional, and they have proven to be a trusted and invaluable ally.”
Investor Josh Liberman, Co-founder and Chairman of CVS Lane Capital Partners and Founding Partner of Lumir Ventures, also expressed his support for ASE, stating, “ASE’s emphasis on data-driven strategies and IP development is both distinctive and forward-looking. Ravi stands out as a compassionate and visionary leader who I have had the privilege of knowing personally and professionally. ASE’s understanding of India and the wider region is a key differentiator that aligns well with their global ambition and capabilities.”
Veeru Murugappan, from one of South India’s most respected
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.