IPL Rockstar, match parties fail to attract TV viewers

While the third season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues its upward march in grabbing eyeballs, the reality shows using the brand name of the cricket tournament haven’t found many takers.

Two shows on the Viacom 18 network presently on air, IPL Rockstar Music Ka Tadka on Colors and MTV IPL Nights, have not got favourable interest from viewers.

According to data from TV audience monitoring agency TAM, on the debut day of IPL Rockstar, the music reality show got a TV rating (TVR) of 0.98, while on the very next day, the TVR fell to 0.42. The ratings for MTV IPL Nights were even less encouraging, as the rating was 0.04 the day it started and have been falling since.

“Colors has entered into a three-year partnership with IPL, which gives us the license to produce four shows. We have never shied away from trying something new and IPL Rockstars is a step in the same direction. While the show is getting noticed, the ratings could have been better,” said Ashvini Yardi, programming head, Colors.

Colors has lined up two more shows after Rockstar and MTV IPL Nights. “Fear Factor IPL Edition is our driver show and Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra will be anchoring the show. The advertiser response to the announcement has been great so far. Following this show, we have the IPL Awards coming up, which can be dubbed the Oscars of the cricket world,” said Yardi.

Music and dance reality shows had in the past typically received good ratings. Dance India Dance on Zee TV had got an average TVR of 4 between December 27, 2009 and March 20, 2010. Another music reality show, Music ka Maha Muqabla, on STAR Plus had got an average TVR of 2.4 in the same period.

The average TVR for IPL matches this season has been around 5 and media analysts say this would move upwards during the semi-finals and the final matches.

Viacom 18 is understood to have bought the rights for producing these shows for Rs 100 crore. One reason the shows have received lukewarm response could be because of the time slots. While Rockstars is on air before the matches begin in stadiums, MTV IPL Nights starts at around 11 pm.

MTV IPL Nights is a show on cricketers partying after a match in the company of some actors and entertainers from the film world.

IPL Rockstar is a music competition between 12 singers in the IPL cricket stadiums. The show is judged by singers Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher, and hosted by rapper Hard Kaur.