IPL 2025 report reveals fan loyalty trends & brand visibility insights

As the IPL 2025 season progresses into its third week, a new report by CrispInsight and Kadence International highlights that fan loyalty remains largely focused on iconic players and well-established teams. Newer franchises and emerging categories are still working to capture the attention of viewers.  Findings from the Week 2 results of the ongoing eDART-IPL25 study reveal that while 98% of fans have a favourite player, only 37% express a strong preference for a team, underscoring the deeper emotional connection audiences have with individual cricketers. 

 

Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni continue to top the admiration charts, while players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant have entered the top 10 rankings for the week. On the team side, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) dominate fan loyalty in their respective home regions. A significant 91% of fans from RCB’s catchment area rank the team as their first or second favourite, with MI and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) closely following.

 

"Fan loyalty is far more enduring than fluctuating match results," said Ritesh Ghosal, Partner at CrispInsight. "The presence of legacy players and teams consistently keeps them top-of-mind, which is invaluable for brands looking to build lasting connections with IPL fans."

 

The report also delves into the visibility of brands across various categories. Payment services and electronics brands garnered strong recall, particularly among viewers with an established interest in those sectors. However, despite a rise in advertisers this season, only 25% of the 200 brands tracked exceeded the 4% recall mark. This suggests that while the IPL offers a broad reach, breaking through the clutter is still a challenge for most brands, particularly those that rely solely on traditional ad formats instead of integrating more creatively within the game.

 

"Brands that weave themselves into the IPL experience—whether through team sponsorships, stadium branding, or player endorsements—stand out significantly more than those relying only on ad frequency," said Aman Makkar of Kadence International. "Storytelling through player endorsements is clearly more effective than traditional advertising in terms of both recall and emotional connection."

 

The report also emphasizes the importance of the IPL superfan segment, which, despite comprising only 15% of the total audience, has a disproportionate impact on viewership and brand engagement. These superfans are more likely to remember associated players, teams, and advertisers, making them a crucial target for high-impact marketing campaigns.

 

With weekly updates throughout the tournament, the eDART-IPL25 study provides real-time insights into fan sentiment, helping brands and franchises refine their engagement strategies as the season unfolds.