As the Indian Premier League (IPL) gears up for its 2024 season, Disney Star, the official broadcaster, has opted to maintain its television advertising rates compared to the previous year. Media experts suggest this move comes amidst a changing media landscape of cord cutters where the growth of digital platforms like JioCinema, which is also the official streaming partner for the league, challenges traditional TV viewership.
According to media planners, Star’s ad rates for IPL 2024 remain in the range of Rs 17 lakh – Rs 18 lakh per 10 seconds for both standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) channels. This compares to Rs 16 lakh per 10 seconds charged last year.
However, some media planners express concerns about advertiser confidence in TV advertising for the big ticket cricket IP.
“Advertisers are hesitant to invest heavily in TV due to the growing influence of free streaming platforms,” said a media planner.
“They are increasingly aware of the potential of digital platforms like JioCinema, particularly due to its targeted advertising capabilities compared to traditional TV broadcasting,” they added.
However Star is also making efforts to introduce customisation in the feed with a dedicated south feed catering to viewers in South India. “South feed is not new for Star, however they have not been very aggressive in promoting it. This year that’s changed and they are pushing for south feed packages,” said another planner on conditions of anonymity.
According to them, South feed has also seen a decent uptick in prices. The south feed ad slots were being sold at approximately Rs5 lakh per 10 second in 2023. This year the same slot is going for Rs7 lakh- Rs8 lakh per 10 second.
Last season, as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data, the opening match featured about 40 per cent less ads on TV when compared to the 2022 season.
“We haven’t seen too many exclusive advertisers that are excited about IPL on TV, however there is a big ticket deal that might be signed with a beverage brand and another one with an automobile brand,” said another planner close to developments.
According to media reports, Ajit Varghese, head of network advertising sales at Disney Star there has been at least a 50 percent increase in the number of conversations in 2024 when compared with the last season.
On the other hand, JioCinema is attracting a surge in advertiser interest due to its lower entry barriers and cost-effective targeting capabilities on digital platforms. The platform is expected to lock deals with close to 1000 brands. According to sources, the anticipated IPL live stream CPM for JioCinema inventory is around Rs 175, while targeted inventory may range between Rs 225 to Rs 265.