Cricket, IPL and Advertising

How cricket attracts India's highest ad rates, why IPL broadcast rights became so valuable, and how digital streaming changed cricket advertising.

Cricket is India’s most valuable advertising property.

Why cricket

Huge live audiences, especially for India matches.
Live viewing: people watch ads rather than skipping.
Mass reach across ages and regions.

Ad rates

Ad rates during big matches, like World Cup games involving India or IPL finals, are among the highest in Indian media, running into lakhs of rupees per 10 seconds.

IPL rights

In 2022, IPL media rights for 2023-27 sold for about 48,390 crore rupees, split between TV (Star/Disney) and digital (Viacom18/JioCinema).
High rights costs must be recovered through advertising and subscriptions.

Digital streaming

JioCinema streamed IPL free in 2023, attracting record viewers.
Digital ads allow targeting by region and interest.
In 2024, Reliance and Disney merged their Indian media businesses into JioStar.

Sponsorship

Brands also pay for team sponsorships, jersey logos and title sponsorship, like Tata for the IPL.

The final over ad

During a tense IPL final, a brand's 10-second ad is seen live by crores of viewers, justifying its high price.

Thinking cricket rights are just sports costs

They're recovered through huge ad and subscription revenues.

Key takeaways

Cricket attracts India's highest ad rates.
IPL rights for 2023-27 sold for about 48,390 crore rupees.
Free digital streaming changed viewing and ads.
Reliance and Disney merged into JioStar in 2024.