JioStar eyes 1 billion-viewer mark as IPL 2025 ad rates climb scoreboard

Experts say ad costs in the cash-rich league this year may be 20-30% higher

Advertisers and sponsors are gearing up for one of the richest sports leagues in the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is scheduled to begin on March 22, as they line up to take advantage of the millions of viewers who will be glued to their screens. 

JioStar, the official broadcaster and streaming partner of IPL, expects the upcoming season to be its biggest ever, with a projected reach of a billion viewers, according to a top executive. Last year, Star Sports (now under JioStar) reached 525 million viewers on television (TV), while through handheld devices, it reached 425 million viewers. 

“We are seeing very strong demand (from advertisers) for IPL 2025,” Ishan Chatterjee, chief business officer, sports revenue, SMB (small and medium businesses) and creator, JioStar, told Business Standard in a virtual interaction. 

“It's probably unprecedented compared to some of the previous editions. If you look at the Champions Trophy 2025 that is going on right now, the India-Pakistan (match) saw the highest viewership for any India-Pakistan match ever on digital (platform). I think this momentum will carry into the IPL, and that’s what gives us the confidence that this is going to be the biggest IPL ever.” 

The IPL ad rate for TV SD (standard definition) is ₹15 lakh per 10 seconds, TV HD (high definition) is ₹6 lakh per 10 seconds, and connected TV (CTV) is ₹8.5 lakh per 10 seconds, according to a source aware of the development. For the over-the-top platform, the cost is ₹250 per 1,000 impressions for a 10-second ad. 

“This year’s IPL advertising costs are 20-30 per cent higher compared to last year,” said Siddharth Devnani, cofounder and director, SoCheers, a creative digital agency that handles brands like Tata Soulfull, Yippee, Classmate, Haldiram’s, Croma, and Havmor, among others. “Brands can also take advantage of bulk combo deals. These deals are incomparable to those of the previous year, as they didn’t exist when Jio and Disney operated separately.” 

Lalatendu Das, chief executive officer, South Asia, Publicis Media, corroborates Devnani, saying that the tournament’s wide-ranging reach and massive popularity across demographics continue to drive premium pricing. 

“IPL as a franchise is known to deliver consistent value through its unmatched viewership, and this makes it a must-have property for advertisers,” said Das. “Moreover, recent consolidation in the broadcast media landscape has strengthened rights holders’ positions and enabled them to command higher rates. The same consolidation, which will offer a seamless mix of traditional TV, handset, and CTV platforms under one roof, is also likely to enhance the value proposition for advertisers, further driving ad rates.” 

Chatterjee is confident about crossing a billion viewers for IPL this year, a major draw for advertisers. He added that JioStar has secured partnerships with several prominent brands across categories, further solidifying IPL as the preferred platform. 

“It’s summertime, so beverages, air conditioners, and fans are some leading categories, along with fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), paints, banking, financial services and insurance, financial technology, and fantasy gaming. These are all categories where we are seeing multiple players engage in a big way,” he noted. 

Additionally, JioStar is introducing sharper location targeting by launching an SMB Outreach Programme across 10 cities, aimed at demonstrating how IPL can drive growth not just for large corporations but also for small and medium enterprises.

Advertising spends on cricket haven’t been impacted yet, contrary to the overall advertising industry, which has seen FMCG companies cutting down on ad spending. 

According to Bhairav Shanth, cofounder of ITW Universe, a sports, entertainment, media, and lifestyle consulting firm, there has been an uptick in FMCG spending, with brands banking on a consumption revival post-Budget announcements. He added that negotiations are less about rates and outlays and more about unique and interesting deliverables. 

“Most sponsorship deals across teams and available inventory in the IPL have closed. As marketers are more eager than ever to use the IPL or WPL (Women’s Premier League) and the visibility it provides to counteract slow market conditions, we at ITW have already helped renew or sign around 15 new deals across teams for the IPL and WPL and are on pace to beat our benchmarks from last year,” said Shanth. 

IPL’s cumulative brand value is up 13 per cent to $12 billion, according to a report released by Brand Finance in December 2024. Thus, IPL remains the largest property in terms of viewership on both traditional and digital platforms. Overall, IPL 2025 will continue to be a magnet for high-value advertising investments across industries. 

A BIG KNOCK

 

*  Ad rate for TV SD is ₹15 lakh per 10 seconds 

 

*  Ad rate for TV HD is ₹6 lakh per 10 seconds 

 

*  Connected TV ad rate is ₹8.5 lakh per 10 seconds

 

*  IPL’s cumulative brand value is $12 billion, according to a report released in December 

 

*  For OTTs, for every 1,000 impressions, the cost is ₹250 per 10 seconds