Why Has Ajay Pratap Singh Resigned As CEO Of Sportskeeda’s Parent Company?
Ajay Pratap Singh has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Absolute Sports, the Nazara Technologies owned company that operates Sportskeeda, ending a leadership stint of more than three-and-a-half years.
The development marks a major leadership transition for one of India’s largest sports media companies. Singh announced his departure through a LinkedIn post, where he reflected on his journey with the company and hinted at his plans to enter the startup ecosystem as a founder.
“I’m officially moving to the other side of the table,” Singh wrote, indicating that he is preparing to embark on an entrepreneurial venture after years of building and scaling digital media businesses.
His exit comes at a time when Absolute Sports is navigating changes in the digital publishing landscape and working to recover from a sharp decline in traffic and revenue following Google’s search algorithm updates.
How Did Ajay Pratap Singh Rise To Lead Absolute Sports?
Singh joined Sportskeeda in November 2019 as Head of Marketing after holding leadership positions at Dainik Bhaskar Group and Tally Solutions.
Within a year, he was elevated to the role of Chief Operating Officer, where he played a key role in driving audience growth, business expansion, and operational efficiency.
Following the departure of Sportskeeda founder Porush Jain in November 2022, Singh was appointed CEO of Absolute Sports, taking charge of the company’s next phase of growth.
During his tenure, he oversaw the transformation of the company from a sports-focused digital publisher into a diversified international media network spanning sports, gaming, wrestling, and entertainment content.
How Did Absolute Sports Expand Under Singh’s Leadership?
One of the most significant achievements during Singh’s tenure was the expansion of Absolute Sports through a series of strategic acquisitions.
When he became CEO, Sportskeeda remained the company’s primary brand. Over the following years, Absolute Sports expanded aggressively, acquiring several digital media properties across multiple content categories.
The company added brands such as Pro Football Network, College Football Network, Deltia’s Gaming, Soap Central, TJRWrestling, ITRWrestling, and Primetimer.
These acquisitions helped Absolute Sports evolve from a single-brand business into a portfolio of eight digital media brands with audiences across multiple geographies.
The expansion strengthened the company’s position in global sports and entertainment publishing while diversifying its revenue streams.
What Did Singh Say About The Company’s Culture?
Reflecting on his time at Absolute Sports, Singh highlighted the company culture as one of the most rewarding aspects of his journey.
According to him, the workplace environment fostered collaboration, friendship, and creativity, making every brainstorming session feel like a gathering among close friends.
He noted that despite the challenges of scaling a fast-growing digital media company, he rarely left work feeling exhausted, describing the team as unique and highly driven.
His comments suggest that building a strong organizational culture was as important to him as achieving business growth.
How Has Nazara Technologies Strengthened Its Ownership In Absolute Sports?
Nazara Technologies first invested in Absolute Sports in 2019 when it acquired a majority stake for approximately ₹44 crore.
Over the years, the gaming and media company gradually increased its ownership through multiple transactions.
In March 2025, Nazara completed the acquisition of the remaining stake in Absolute Sports, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.
The move underscored Nazara’s commitment to expanding beyond gaming and strengthening its presence in digital content and media.
What Challenges Has Absolute Sports Faced Recently?
Despite its expansion efforts, Absolute Sports experienced a difficult FY26.
The company reported a 38.6 per cent decline in revenue, which fell to ₹147 crore from ₹239.6 crore in FY25.
According to the company, the decline was largely driven by lower web traffic following Google’s March 2025 core algorithm update. The update impacted several digital publishers globally, reducing organic search visibility and audience acquisition.
The revenue decline highlights the growing challenges faced by media businesses that rely heavily on search engine traffic for audience growth.
What Could Singh’s Exit Mean For Absolute Sports?
Singh’s departure marks the end of a transformative phase for Absolute Sports.
The company now operates a much larger portfolio of brands than it did when he took over as CEO. However, the next leadership team will face the challenge of restoring growth, diversifying traffic sources, and improving monetization amid an evolving digital media landscape.
For Singh, the move signals the beginning of a new entrepreneurial chapter after helping build one of India’s most prominent sports and entertainment media businesses.
