New Delhi, May 20 -- As sports entertainment evolves, younger audiences-especially Gen Z (born 1997-2012)-are increasingly seeking real athlete stories and digital engagement beyond traditional cricket formats.

Rise Worldwide, the sports management arm of Reliance Industries that manages athletes and media rights, among other things, is looking to capitalise on this shift. Its non-cricket business, although small, has been expanding sharply over the past two years, Nikhil Bardia, head of Rise Worldwide, toldMintwhile explaining how companies are adapting to new fan behaviour and the growing demand for sports content beyond cricket.

The company, which manages about a dozen top cricket stars including Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, also ...