iWorld
Nearly 90 per cent of sports fans use a second screen while watching live matches
Google says most viewers watch matches on TV but engage with sports on their phones
MUMBAI: The television may show the match, but the real action is often happening in the viewer’s palm.
As India celebrated a nail-biting cricket finale and the trophy’s return home, millions of fans were not just watching the game. They were also scrolling, searching and sharing on their phones. According to Google, nearly 90 per cent of sports fans use a second screen while watching live matches, turning mobile devices into the centre of real-time engagement.
Shubha Pai, head of YouTube sales and solutions at Google India, says the shift reflects a deeper behavioural change among viewers. Live sport remains a “lean back” experience on television, but the smartphone has become the “lean-in” hub where fans dive deeper. They check statistics, watch short-form clips, discuss moments online and even buy merchandise as the match unfolds.
The numbers underline the shift. About 67 per cent of Indian sports viewers now turn to YouTube for sports-related content, putting the platform ahead of both OTT services and social media channels, according to Google.
The audience is also changing. Pai notes that YouTube Shorts has become the top destination for Gen Z viewers and female sports fans, groups increasingly drawn to short, authentic and interactive content rather than traditional broadcasts.
For brands, the shift has commercial implications. Google says advertising returns on YouTube are three times higher than OTT platforms and 2.4 times higher than television, citing a meta-analysis of consumer packaged goods marketing mix modelling studies by Nielsen.
The lesson for marketers is clear. The television may still host the match, but the battle for attention has moved elsewhere. As fans cheer, argue, search and shop all at once, the second screen is no longer just a companion to sport. It is fast becoming the main event.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
