VMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 23: Indian gaming has crossed a threshold. What was once a niche pastime is now a mainstream form of entertainment, and the way the country watches games - live, creator-led, community-first - has reached an inflection point. It's against that backdrop that global livestreaming platform KICK is deepening its commitment to India, coming on board as official sponsor in the live streaming category for Team Apex Gaming (TAG), one of the country's fastest-rising esports organisations.
For KICK, the partnership sharpens its focus on one of the world's largest and youngest gaming markets. For Team Apex Gaming, it's a signal of how far the organisation has come in a very short time.
Founded in April 2026 by professional gamer and gaming creator Jonathan Jude Amaral - popularly known as Jonathan Gaming - TAG launched under the campaign “It's Time to Rise” and the hashtag #TAGonTOP. In the months since, its growth has been exponential: a competitive roster competing at the highest level of Indian esports, a creator network spanning some of the country's biggest gaming voices, and a community that has expanded far beyond tournament results.
“We've always approached partnerships from an industry-first lens,” said Madhur Agrawal, Co-Founder of Team Apex Gaming. “We were looking for a partner genuinely endemic to what a gamer is - someone who understands that the future of this space is as much about watching and participating as it is about competing. KICK gets that.”
The tie-up adds an international livestreaming platform to TAG's existing competitive and
content ecosystem - and puts the two organisations behind a shared bet: that livestream viewing in India is on its way to becoming a mainstream habit, and that together they can accelerate it.
“Team Apex Gaming was built to take everything we've created in competitive gaming to the
next level,” said Jonathan Gaming, Founder of Team Apex Gaming. “India is watching gaming like never before, and KICK understands the culture - the importance of giving creators and players a platform to connect with their communities. This partnership is about making livestream viewing a part of everyday entertainment for millions of fans, and that push is only going to get stronger from here.”
TAG's competitive roster features Jonathan alongside Jelly, Hydro, KioLmao and Harsh,
while its wider creator network includes Lolzzz, SharkShe, Sheek, Raka Zone Gaming, Shreeman Legend and SSR Vlogs. Together, the roster and creator community give the organisation a presence across both competitive esports and gaming content - exactly the kind of dual footprint that maps onto how Indian audiences increasingly consume games.
Since entering the competitive gaming ecosystem in 2026, TAG has participated in major
domestic competitions. Arriving within months of the April launch, the KICK association represents an early and significant commercial milestone as the organisation builds its roster, creator network and presence within India's gaming ecosystem.
About Team Apex Gaming
Team Apex Gaming (TAG) is an Indian esports organisation founded in 2026 by professional
BGMI player and gaming creator Jonathan Jude Amaral, alongside co-founder Madhur Agrawal. The organisation runs a competitive esports roster and creator network and launched publicly in April 2026 under the campaign “It's Time to Rise.”
About KICK
KICK is a global livestreaming platform focused on gaming, esports, IRL entertainment and streamers. Since its launch in 2022, KICK has put creators at the centre of its platform, with more than US$400 million in payouts facilitated through the KICK Partner Program (KPP), which offers a 100% revenue share, alongside KICK’s 95/5 subscription revenue split, with both revenue streams designed to put more earnings directly in the hands of streamers. Together, these programs give streamers more opportunities to monetise their content and be rewarded for the value they bring to the platform, reinforcing KICK’s commitment to building a creator-first livestreaming ecosystem.
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