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The Indian Premier League (IPL) ecosystem has witnessed impressive growth, surging from Rs 87,000 crore in 2022 to Rs 92,500 crore in 2023, marking a 6.3 percent increase, as per a report by D&P India Advisory Services LLP. IPL has always been a blend of cricket, business, and entertainment and the 2023 edition was no different. 

This year marked also a significant change in the IPL's broadcasting landscape. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) took a strategic step of splitting media rights between TV and digital platforms. This led to intense competition between Disney Star, the official TV broadcaster, and JioCinema, the OTT streaming partner. According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India, Star Sports Network's IPL telecast garnered 505 million viewers, with a 427.1 billion minutes of watch time. On the digital front, JioCinema reported 449 million viewers, with over 126 million opting for connected TV.

Measuring the valuation

As per the report, IPL's valuation encompasses both franchise team owners and the BCCI. Revenue streams are split into central pool (media rights, sponsorships) and franchise-specific (team sponsorships, gate receipts, merchandise). The central pool, primarily from media rights, contributes 80-85 percent of total revenue. BCCI gets 50 percent of the central pool, with a 20 percent profit share from franchises. This leads to BCCI receiving 60 percent of the central pool and a fifth of franchise-specific revenues. However, in terms of margins, older franchises enjoy a 50 percent operating margin, while the BCCI boasts a 90 percent margin on their net revenue share.

Team valuation analysis

The IPL ecosystem, as per the report, is valued at USD 11.2 billion, with the BCCI accounting for 60-65 percent of it, while all IPL teams make up the remaining 35-40 percent. This means all franchises collectively are worth around USD 3.9-4.5 billion, averaging USD 390-450 million per team. Notably, the central pool constitutes 70-75 percent of each franchise's revenue, ensuring a relatively similar intrinsic value. The Mumbai Indians hold a value within the USD 410-450 million range, making them the most valuable IPL franchise in 2023.

Women’s Premier League (WPL) on a growth trajectory

The inaugural WPL edition is valued at Rs 1,250 crore (approximately USD 150 million), primarily due to lucrative media and title rights deals. Viacom 18 secured media rights for Rs 951 crore (Rs 7.09 crore per match), making it the second most valuable broadcast agreement for a women's sports league globally. The Tatas invested Rs 165 crore for the title sponsorship. Franchises' cumulative sale proceeds reached a remarkable Rs 4,670 crore, showcasing strong confidence in the league's future success.

IPL ecosystem valuation soars to Rs 92,500 crore in 2023 from Rs 87,000 crore in 2022

The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) proved to be a lucrative venture for fantasy sports platforms, as revealed by Redseer Strategy Consultants. IPL 2023 witnessed a gross gaming revenue of Rs 2,800 crore, with 61 million users participating in fantasy gaming.

Redseer's analysis shows a 24 percent increase in gross gaming revenue compared to IPL 2022, reaching Rs 2,250 crore. The market has been growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30 percent since IPL 2019.

A fantasy league is a virtual game where participants create their own teams using real-life players and virtual currency. Users' virtual teams earn points based on the performances of their real-life players during matches. At the end of the season, participants can win prizes or cash based on their scores.

The analysis by the strategy consultant reveals that IPL 2023 had a strong user acquisition engine, with 35 percent of new users playing for the first time on the platforms. The influx of new users led to an 11 percent increase in cash users during the season, with an average spend per match of Rs 127 per user.

Ujjwal Chaudhry, a partner at Redseer, states that the top three platforms captured 96 percent of the market share during IPL 2023 and had an average revenue of Rs 458 per user for the season.

"The excitement of IPL also extended to non-IPL sporting events during the season, contributing to 13 percent of the revenue," he adds.

Analyzing the average gross gaming revenue (GGR), Redseer notes that the GGR during weekdays was 1.3 times higher than on weekends and reached its peak during the final match. The Mega Tables, which represent the sum of all the highest prize pool tables in every match across the platforms, decreased in size by 30 percent during weekends due to multiple matches taking place on the same day. However, Mega Tables had a higher rake rate of 24 percent, contributing 60 percent to the revenue during the season.

Dream11 is the official fantasy partner of IPL and has been associated with a few teams. Other key players in the market include My11Circle, BalleBaazi, and Mobile Premier League, among others.

Regarding IPL 2023's ad revenue, Redseer estimates that a total of Rs 10,000 crore was spent on advertisements, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), franchises, and broadcasters earning 65 percent of the total spend as direct revenue. The remaining 35 percent of indirect revenue was earned through ad revenue by social media platforms, traditional media, and other internet platforms.

Fantasy sports made Rs 2,800 crore in gross revenue during IPL 2023: Redseer

Connected TV, free streaming, and digital adex are the buzzwords this IPL. With a lot of brands debuting their IPL advertising journey this season with JioCinema, media experts are all praises for the new opportunities created by the platform. In a chat with Storyboard18, R Venkatasubramanian, president - investments at Havas Media India and managing director - Havas Play, talks about the benefits of free streaming, the effectiveness of connected TV, brands advertising in IPL and more. 


Excerpts:


What has been the focus of digital adex during this IPL season?


Advertising on digital has been high this IPL, with JioCinema broadcasting the match live on its platform for free. JioCinema offered advertisers multiple sections for branding and ad inventory options allowing them the freedom to pick and choose sections. Needless to say, JioCinema has been encouraging advertising from brands with smaller spend allowing them to experience the benefits of the platform and IPL.


Are advertisers seeing a good return on investment from their digital ad campaigns during the IPL?


Despite this being JioCinema’s first season with IPL, brands have expressed substantial confidence in the platform. The number of advertisers has increased compared to the past season. Further, the platform has been offered free to subscribers, which opened a big opportunity for brands to try advertising in cricket and on a digital platform.


Have you seen a reduction in wastage of ad spend on digital platforms during the IPL?


In fact, during this IPL, brands have been able to rationalise their spends through focused spending on properties and opportunities on IPL.


Has the move towards free streaming of the IPL benefitted both advertisers and viewers?


Yes, quite substantially. Free streaming has allowed millions of viewers to connect and watch IPL at their own time and convenience. Besides live broadcasts, various cricket programs and highlights have been garnering good viewership and brands have managed to get their desired reach through the platform.


What are your views on the effectiveness of connected TV advertising during the IPL?


Connected TV is still quite a niche in India and has relatively a smaller base as compared to OTT. Though the content offered is the same across digital or TV, from the perspective of clients who are offering or selling high-end niche products, connected TV comes out as the winner for these brands, avoiding wastage and media spillover and reaching key target groups at a reasonable cost.


Do you believe that linear TV will remain as relevant in the coming years as it has been in the past for IPL viewership?


Linear TV has its own set of audience, will continue to have its own share of viewership and will coexist. Brands wanting to reach out to the masses will opt for linear TV feed as it offers pan-India coverage. FMCG and durable categories will continue opting for linear feed as against digital or connected TV.

Brands able to rationalise expenditure through focused spending this IPL: R Venkatasubramanian of Havas Media India

With over 200 advertisers on IPL - digital, the AdEx focus has reached unprecedented heights, ensuring a diverse presence of brands with varying investment levels. The question arises: are these advertisers reaping the rewards of their digital ad campaigns? This season, the reach has skyrocketed on Connected TV and web platforms, resulting in promising returns on investment. What has helped massively is the transition to free streaming of the IPL.

It has proven to be a win-win situation for advertisers and viewers, with extended reach and accessibility.

In an interview with Storyboard18, Navin Lalchandani, SVP, Starcom India, delves into digital advertising during the IPL season and what it means for advertisers. 

Excerpts:


What has been the focus of digital AdEx during this IPL season?



There are a total of 200 advertisers on IPL - digital, which indicates a significant amount of AdEx as the brands with lesser investments can also be present on IPL.



Are advertisers seeing a good return on investment from their digital ad campaigns during the IPL?



Reach is significantly high on CTV and the web as compared to last year as streaming is free to everyone. Higher the reach, the better the returns.



Have you seen a reduction in wastage of ad spend on digital platforms during the IPL?



Digital helps in sharp targeting and gives scale to brands which, in turn, reduces the wastage of reaching out to not-so-important markets, and brands with lesser investments can be present on IPL to target a few key markets.



Has the move towards free streaming of the IPL benefited both advertisers and viewers?



Free streaming has benefited the viewers, especially in metros and advertisers because it helped in reaching out to a larger set of audiences.



Do you believe that linear TV will remain as relevant in the coming years as it has been in the past for IPL viewership?



Linear TV will continue to grow in the coming years as reach is the highest and TV will continue to grow with data dark areas getting access to TV over a period.



Finally, where do you personally prefer to watch the IPL, on linear TV or through digital streaming platforms?



I enjoyed a balanced IPL viewing experience, switching between CTV and linear TV for the ultimate match-watching satisfaction.

Brands with lesser investments can also be present on IPL on digital: Starcom India's Navin Lalchandani

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has changed the way Indians consume cricket. The 2023 edition of the T20 tournament has witnessed a disruptive digital leap like never before, democratising the experience. This throws up a lot of important questions: What are the implications for advertisers and media planners? What are the winning strategies for brands leveraging the big surge? How are brands using the cricket juggernaut to reach audiences far and wide?

This year democratisation of the IPL has led to unparalleled reach, engagement and business impact from the vantage of a marketer, given the anticipation and excitement around the IPL, especially with the draw of it being a truly digital IPL.

Jaya Jamrani, VP, Marketing, Castrol, an automotive lubricant company thinks the IPL is the largest aggregator in India. “The whole country comes together and everyone has IPL on their minds and on screens. What IPL does is it allows you to create content that consumers are actively watching. It is not passive content. This year the reach is different because of digital and the fact that Jio has made it free,”she says.


IPL advertising has allowed Castrol to quickly create awareness and create impact by integrating the brand message - #CompromiseMehngaPadega. 

Vishal Chinchankar, CEO, Madison Digital, talks about the mind boggling reach, layers of interactivity and emotions in IPL. Spotlighting the CSK vs RCB match that had 24 million concurrent views on JioCinema, the official streaming partner of Tata IPL, Chinchankar says, “Digital adds a layer of interactivity, lots of immersiveness and from a reach perspective and measurable metrics, it's all up." 

Zoomcar was a first-time IPL advertiser, prompted to hitch its adwagon to the IPL due to its accessibility and flexibility on the digital platform. Naveen Gupta, VP & Countryhead, Zoomcar, says that it felt like the right time to launch an IPL campaign given the brand has been around a decade now. 
“Zoomcar wanted to reach households. IPL as a medium gave an opportunity to reach them.” It was a wow moment for Zoomcar as there was a spike in organic traffic and an opportunity for impressions increasing. The installations also went northward. 

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Amardeep Singh, CEO, Interactive Avenues, says, "IPL has democratised TV for the advertisers. Earlier to advertise on TV you needed huge budgets, but now you don't need huge budgets to advertise on TV." 

He highlights the reach of connected TV, targeting 25-40 million households. CTV advertising performs better as compared to regular ads on mobiles, he says. “You are reaching out to the key segments — cord cutters and cord shavers. You don’t reach cord cutters though regular TV. The advantage of cord shavers is you are able to personalise communication basis region, language, brand priorities which you can’t do through linear TV,” he said.


Relevance of linear TV going forward

Talking about the relevance of linear TV, Gupta says that linear TV will be relevant for mass brands but for a brand that is digital first, CTV is better because it gives that level of personalisation and reach to engage audiences. “It also gives that level for tracking that sometimes is missing from linear. Day-to-day tracking helps to finetune strategies; for mass brands, linear TV still makes sense in the longer run,” he says.

According to Jamrani, a brand marketer needs to follow the consumer at all times in an impactful manner. Castrol started CTV last January for its car brands. “It’s easy to measure and there is less pilferage also,” she says.

But different consumers want different media, so it’s hard to say, she adds.
Sudhir Shukla, COO, More Retail Private Limited, “You need to find what’s right for your TG and business. CTV is doing what HD was doing five years back…which is a proxy for affluent people."

Importance of hyperlocal and regionalisation

“India is so vast. There is an India within India. From seven languages that linear TV offered to 12 languages, it’s a huge democratisation. We never thought of Kiran More speaking Marathi,” says Chinchankar. “That experience has been a great consumer experience, it is adding a lot more in numbers. There is even Punjabi commentary that is giving a lot more numbers. From a language perspective, for one of our brands, we have created 9/10 language ads." 

Jamrani says vernacular gives her a scale at a level as an advertiser that didn’t exist before. Shukla reiterates and says IPL 2018 had many languages for the first time: In 2023 there are more languages than ever. Language democratisation is a very interesting phenomenon.

“With the emergence of mobile and the internet ecosystem peaking in India, you can advertise by language. As a retailer, the ability to personalise the campaign at scale was a wow factor,” he says. 

Digital advertising will grow further as it allows personalisation at scale, says Shukla. Shukla sums up the impact of the digital surge and language leap: "10 years back somebody told me digital would kill TV, and I am still waiting for that moment. TV has grown in the last 10 years, but digital took share from print and outdoor in a very big way. So that is what digital is able to do — personalisation at scale. So I think digital advertising will only grow and languages play an integral part. We in Mumbai or Delhi sometimes tend to underestimate the power of languages, it is identity for people in India. So when IPL is televised in Oriya, the joy that it brings to somebody in Orissa; you will have to talk to them to understand."

IPL on digital fuels rise of connected TV; language streams major wow-moment for advertisers

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season has captured the attention of advertisers and viewers alike, with its immense popularity and widespread reach. Thanks to free streaming on JioCinema, the Digital AdEx has seen a huge boost from sectors such as FMCG, BFSI, and gaming. In a chat with Storyboard18, Sidharth Singh, co-founder, CupShup, an online marketing firm, talks about advertisers witnessing favourable returns on investment on digital spends, leveraging platforms, tailored strategies and more.

Edited excerpts:


 What has been the focus of Digital AdEx during this IPL season?

With the limited sample size of clients that we engage with, we foresee FMCG, BFSI and, no prize for guessing, gaming as the focus of Digital AdEx this IPL season. A good monsoon is what the Met has been forecasting, giving hopes of an uplift in rural spending and FMCG clients are out to make a killing. Banks profits are at all-time high and the country with the fastest growth estimates is hungry for credit. The latest filing of banks and PSUs show zooming profits and even the government is planning to hit the reset button on the PSU privatisation plan. This bodes very well for banks that are looking to make the most of fast-paced growth. The gaming industry is in a state of flux despite claiming the lion's share of AdEx. On the one hand, there are bigger players trying to consolidate their position by roping in big names, on the other there are many small fish who still believe that customers are not close to choosing what is best for them and are looking for options. 

Are advertisers seeing a good return on investment from their digital ad campaigns during the IPL?

The fact that IPL claims a staggering 90 percent of the total cricket budget is testimony to the clout of the recently-turned-decacorn cricket razzmatazz. A decacorn is an entity with a valuation above $10 billion. Having said that, whether you get a better return or an average one completely depends on how you make the most of platforms, media options and mix. It isn’t just the players that go out on the field. Entire India gets down now to play and engage with them and thus brands need to come up with tailor-made strategies to make the most of returns. Overall, this IPL has proved true to its promises so far and brands have reaped benefits for playing their cards right.


 Have you seen a reduction in wastage of ad spend on digital platforms during the IPL?

It is too early to comment as we are yet to complete the brand lift study for various clients, but initial numbers suggest that there certainly has been a reduction in wastage due to factors like vernacular commentary option and more engagement embedded into the live matches on digital platforms.

 Has the move towards free streaming of the IPL benefited both advertisers and viewers? 

Definitely, this has been a win-win proposition for both parties. Number one, through CTV, there are multiple feeds available to users, thus, better targeting as well as more reach. Secondly, it is available in 12 regional languages other than English, making the experience personalised. On top of it, engagement with the game is at an all-time high, leading to more and more consumption time.

 What are your views on the effectiveness of connected TV advertising during the IPL?

Other than the benefits I already mentioned, CTV gives you an option of surround programming and on-demand IPL content for consumption. Thus, now you are never away from your favourite moments and can relive them as per your convenience. This certainly is giving a lot of firepower to the advertisers.

Do you believe that linear TV will remain as relevant in the coming years as it has been in the past for IPL viewership?

I really believe that CTV is the way forward. With internet penetration increasing and mobile phones and TV units getting cheaper, it is only a matter of time that linear TV would fade away with time only to make way for CTV

Finally, where do you personally prefer to watch the IPL, on linear TV or through digital streaming platforms?

I prefer watching it through digital streaming for the flexibility options that the medium offers.

IPL's free streaming on digital has given a lot of firepower to advertisers

JioCinema, the official digital streaming partner of TATA IPL 2023, is expected to dominate the advertising expenditure (AdEx) this season, accounting for more than two-thirds of the total AdEx.

JioCinema's real-time number tracking system enables advertisers to evaluate their reach, and with more people watching IPL on the move, the platform's average concurrency rate is almost triple that of last year. This season, the number of sponsors during IPL's digital streaming has reached 26, which is the highest ever for any sporting tournament.

“Fundamentally, digital has options and opportunities for everybody. Digital is also measurable and targetable. Through JioCinema, advertisers are reaching the right audiences at the right price. JioCinema has also opened doors for a lot of advertisers, smaller brands and companies to join the bandwagon, which used to be the exclusive preserve of top 100 advertisers,” said Anil Jayaraj, CEO, Viacom18 Sports said.

“Additionally, we have over 40 advertisers on CTV exclusively, including international brands, financial services, e-commerce, autos, B2C, B2B brands. Connected TV (CTV) advertising spots have been increasing every week of the TATA IPL.,” he added.

Speaking on JioCinema’s innovations in a testimonial, Vivek Srivatsa, chief marketing officer, Tata Motors EV said, “Jio Cinema has brought about a revolution in IPL watching by offering free access to the tournament and leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance the viewing experience, including 4K streaming, multicam and multi-language options. This has enabled a wider demographic to experience the spectacle like never before. The innovations in ad delivery has enabled us to take our campaign go.ev with Tiago.ev not only to urban India, but also to smaller towns. We wish to drive tremendous value from this partnership and fast forward the ongoing EV adoption in India."

Vishal Chinchankar, chief executive officer, Madison Digital added, “Our clients have had a positive experience, as we have seen the high concurrencies resulting in to impressions having delivered on most campaigns. In some cases our client have reallocating investments on digital medium for IPL.”

According to the recent TAM report, CTV ad spots have showed a 20 percent growth. TATA IPL 2023 on Connected TV has reached twice the number of viewers than on HD TV, indicating the growing trend of viewers preferring the convenience and flexibility offered by CTV platforms.

Commenting on CTV advertising, Sandeep Shukla, general manager & head marketing communication, Jaquar Group, in his testimonial, said, “JioCinema's CTV is the go-to platform for IPL viewers across India, with high-quality 4K streaming and extensive language options. Advertisers can tap into this vast and affluent audience to increase brand awareness and engage with passionate cricket fans. Showcasing our brand's message on CTVs for an immersive and engaging viewing experience drives high recall. It's an excellent opportunity to reach a large, engaged audience and grow your brand with Jio Cinema's CTV platform during IPL matches.”

 
According to Media Partners Asia (MPA), the IPL 2023 edition is estimated to generate $550 million in revenue, with digital capturing over 60% of the share. In the first five weeks of the tournament, JioCinema has already recorded over 1300 cr. video views.

As per a Synchronise and Unomer report, 73 percent viewers are watching IPL on JioCinema.

JioCinema to grab two-thirds of total IPL AdEx this season

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has emerged as a major battleground for digital advertisers, with projected viewership of 600 million people this season. Also, JioCinema's move towards free streaming of the IPL has benefitted both advertisers and viewers. Advertisers now have access to a larger audience, while viewers can watch the matches for free. According to Chirag Bhatia, senior vice president - Digital, DDB Mudra Group, today the IPL is the second-most valuable sports league globally after the NFL, with each match’s broadcast value exceeding Rs 100 crore. In an interview with Storyboard18, Bhatia talks about the move towards free streaming of the IPL, the effectiveness of connected TV advertising, the future of IPL advertising and more.

Excerpts. 


What has been the focus of digital adex during this IPL season?


Very evidently there are two festivals in the country: one is the IPL and the other is Diwali. There isn’t a property that even comes close to the IPL in terms of reach and that’s precisely the reason the brand won’t let this once-in-a-year opportunity go to waste. Today the IPL is the second most valuable sports league globally after the NFL, with each match’s broadcast value exceeding Rs 100 crore which is humungous. And at the pace at which IPL is growing, it will surpass the NFL in no time.




<blockquote>Cohorts like geo, affluence cohorts like mobile price segments, age and cross-tab segments which are a mix of the above ensures laser sharp targeting for brands to reach their core target group with reduced spillage.</blockquote>




Are advertisers seeing a good return on investment from their digital ad campaigns during the IPL?

The IPL viewership this year has skyrocketed. On one hand the TVRs increased resulting in low CPRP’s, and on the other hand JioCinema’s concurrency numbers are almost double compared to the last year and is expected to grow 3-4 times. With huge inventories available due to the freemium model, the CPM’s rates are at an all-time low making it a treat for brands.


Have you seen a reduction in wastage of ad spend on digital platforms during the IPL?


The IPL product offering overall has evolved over the years with the slicing and dicing that is possible on digital for both viewers and advertisers. For viewers, things like commentaries in 13 languages and various camera angle options are amazing. For advertisers the option of being able to choose from various cohorts ensures a better bang for their buck. Cohorts like geo, affluence cohorts like mobile price segments, age and cross-tab segments which are a mix of the above ensures laser sharp targeting for brands to reach their core target group with reduced spillage.




<blockquote>Today the IPL is the second most valuable sports league globally after the NFL, with each match’s broadcast value exceeding Rs 100 crore which is humungous. And at the pace at which IPL is growing, it will surpass the NFL in no time.</blockquote>




Has the move towards free streaming of the IPL benefitted both advertisers and viewers?


While this is a blessing for advertisers, the ad revenues may not grow in line with audience growth due to media rights getting divided this time between Star and Viacom18, and also because of consumer internet startups being more cautious than ever because of the prevailing funding winter. The other macro factors impacting the global economic sentiment like interest rates across economies, the escalating banking crisis in the US and Europe, the country’s GDP growth, consumer spending patterns, inflation rates and other uncertainties linked to the on-going war etc will also play a role.


What are your views on the effectiveness of connected TV advertising during the IPL?


With the freemium streaming offering on digital, the viewer journey this time is a ‘zero miss out’ approach and a starkly evident multiscreen viewer behaviour is emerging. Viewers just don’t want to miss out on even a single ball and the moment they step out of their houses they have all the action in the palm of their hands. While digital will always hold a place in the media mix, TV will be important too. 

The form factor of TVs might change with close to 80 percent of the replacement TVs being sold in India being connected TVs due to cheap hardware availability and increasing broadband penetration. As CTV enables an on-demand phenomenon it would be great for advertisers as switching channels between breaks would reduce.

IPL on digital ensures laser sharp targeting for brands, says DDB Mudra’s Chirag Bhatia

Indian Premier League TV broadcaster Star Sports has landed in hot water with several groups and viewers who raised objection to the presence of stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui on air on May 12.

Faruqui, who was arrested and released on bail in 2021 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, featured in Star Sports’ coverage of the May 12 IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. His presence led several Twitter users to question why the channel gave him air time, with many calling for the boycott of Star Sports India.

Accused of making remarks on Hindu deities during a show and hurting religious sentiments, the comedian was arrested in January 2021 and lodged at the Indore jail in Madhya Pradesh.

According to the FIR, the comedy show, where the remarks now under scrutiny were made, was held at a cafe in 56 Dukan area of Indore on January 1, 2021.

Eklavya Singh Gaud, son of BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaud, had filed a complaint against Faruqui and others. Gaud, in his complaint, said that he and some of his associates had gone to watch a show where jokes were made about Hindu gods and goddesses, and he forced the organisers to stop the event.

Faruqui and others were arrested for the alleged offences punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including section 295-A which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class.

They were also accused of holding the show amid Covid-19 pandemic without permission and were booked under other relevant provisions of the IPC.

Denying Faruqui bail, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had then noted that promoting harmony is one of the constitutional duties. But the Supreme Court on February 5, 2021 released Faruqui on interim bail, staying the High Court order.

On April 24 this year, the Supreme Court transferred all FIRs against Faruqui to Indore in Madhya Pradesh. A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sanjay Karol also extended Faruqui’s interim protection for three weeks with regard to the production warrant in Delhi.

The top court clarified that it has not commented on the merits of the plea for quashing and if any plea is filed, it shall be considered as per law on its merits.

A year after his release on bail, the Faruqui, who is also a rapper, went onto join and ultimately win ALTBalaji and MX Player’s reality show Lock Upp, which was hosted by actor Kangana Ranaut.

Star Sports lands in boycott controversy over comedian Munawar Faruqui’s presence in IPL

Sangam Nayal, Associate Director, Dentsu Creative is a believer in CTV. “Why pay for HD channels when a better interactive experience can be done with digital streaming platforms?” he says. According to Nayal, in just the first weekend, the number of views for IPL on JioCinema has surpassed the total views for the entire IPL season on Disney+ Hotstar and the ICC World Cup 2022. In a chat with Storyboard18, Nayal talks about effectiveness of connected TV advertising during the IPL, reduction in wastage of ad spend and how watching Thala (his favourite) is way easier on digital platforms.

Excerpts

What has been the focus of digital adex during this IPL season?

IPL contributes over 80 percent to the AdEx in the cricket segment. With digital, the focus is on CTV for premium audiences and an incremental reach with handheld devices. The key difference in any premium brands' budget split is 70 percent on CTV and 30 percent on targeted handheld.

Are advertisers seeing a good return on investment from their digital ad campaigns during the IPL?

Video views in the first weekend alone have eclipsed entire IPL season views on Disney+ Hotstar and ICC world cup 2022. Incremental reach was the selling point of JioCinema’s offering and brands have experienced that. For key matches, average concurrency has gone to 24 million (RCB vs CSK match). With semis and finals, reach numbers will further increase.

Have you seen a reduction in wastage of ad spend on digital platforms during the IPL?

With Hotstar, CTV buying was available with CPM and JioCinema is offering it on spot basis. As per our internal reports, CPM billed to us is 45 percent less as compared to the last IPL and ICC World Cup '22 CTV buying. For handheld, targeting options to tap into premium audiences is better thus a less spill-over of impressions and monies. 

<blockquote>As per market intel, declining viewership of IPL on HD TV has been a concern for many brands and most of it is shifting to CTV as consumers are upgrading to connected TVs to consume content as per their leisure, digitally.</blockquote>

Has the move towards free streaming of the IPL worked out for both advertisers and viewers?

As an advertiser, reach numbers are important while curating plans. For mass brands, the untargeted campaign has delivered incremental reach. For premium brands, reaching the CTV audience with 4K experience is 2.4X of the last big cricket tournament. As a viewer and Thala fan, I can switch to see helicopter shots even without a concern of being paid subscription or not on anyone’s device. Imagine you are at your friend’s place and Thala comes to bat, just switch on CTV and watch free 4K streaming without checking if the user has a subscription or not.

What are your views on the effectiveness of connected TV advertising during the IPL?

As of 26th April, 47.1 miilion viewers tuned in to watch IPL on JioCinema on CTV for first 2 weeks with an average time spent of 55-60 minutes. Numbers are 2.4x+ as compared to CTV numbers on Hotstar. For our client, TATA Passenger Electric Mobility, we recognized the importance of tapping into a large and affluent audience, which JioCinema’s CTV offering enabled us to do at a competitive cost. Early reports suggest that JioCinema has exceeded our viewership targets, which is an encouraging sign for our campaign's effective reach. Moreover, CTV also offers innovations like shoppable ads, QR code ads and more that provide ways to measure consumer intent and potentially track the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

Do you believe that linear TV will remain as relevant in the coming years?

Digital is targetable, interactive with features. Success metrics of a campaign on digital is not based on sample sizing of small sets, it is measured with exact numbers. What HD or Linear TV can offer (Better Experience) is depleted by CTV offerings. As per market intel, declining viewership of IPL on HD TV has been a concern for many brands and most of it is shifting to CTV as consumers are upgrading to connected TVs to consume content as per their leisure, digitally. Thus, it’s a no-brainer that IPL will keep growing onto the digital medium with the shift happening from TV’s pie.

IPL

Quantum Brief

IPL ecosystem valuation soars to Rs 92,500 crore in 2023 from Rs 87,000 crore in 2022

How it Works

Fantasy sports made Rs 2,800 crore in gross revenue during IPL 2023: Redseer

Brand Makers

Brands able to rationalise expenditure through focused spending this IPL: R Venkatasubramanian of Havas Media India

Brand Makers

Brands with lesser investments can also be present on IPL on digital: Starcom India's Navin Lalchandani

How it Works

IPL on digital fuels rise of connected TV; language streams major wow-moment for advertisers

How it Works

IPL's free streaming on digital has given a lot of firepower to advertisers

How it Works

JioCinema to grab two-thirds of total IPL AdEx this season

Brand Makers

IPL on digital ensures laser sharp targeting for brands, says DDB Mudra’s Chirag Bhatia

Quantum Brief

Star Sports lands in boycott controversy over comedian Munawar Faruqui’s presence in IPL

Brand Makers

IPL will keep growing on digital medium with the shift happening from TV’s pie: Sangam Nayal, Dentsu