 "India Pakistan Match")
Even as the “Men in Blue” get ready to face Pakistan on Sunday in the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025 at the group stage, there is another high-stakes clash going on among advertisers to secure ad slots in one of the country’s most-watched sporting events.
Tareque Laskar, head, ITW Core, the research desk of ITW Universe, a sports, entertainment, media, and lifestyle consulting firm, told Business Standard that ad rates for the India-Pakistan match follow a trend similar to that of the Super Bowl, the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States.
"Much like the Super Bowl ad rates that keep going up each year because there are a few other sports properties left in the US that provide a universal and large audience at once for brands, the India-Pakistan game also works on similar dynamics. Even compared to when India is playing other teams in similar tournaments, rates are, on average, 25-30 per cent higher when the archrivals clash. A lot of brands tend to allocate budgets specifically for the big game, much like a Super Bowl advertiser would do," said Laskar.
He added that this will be India facing Pakistan in a men’s one-day international (ODI) match after almost 17 months. A large audience is virtually guaranteed, and hence, ad rates are anywhere between 2.5 times and 4 times the normal rates on both linear TV and over-the-top (OTT) platforms compared to other games in events like the ongoing Champions Trophy, the T20 World Cup 2024, or the ICC World Cup 2023.
As per a top executive at a media buying firm, premiums for such matches could be more than 100-200 per cent of the tournament rates.
This comes at a time when the industry is facing muted advertisement spending from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies due to economic uncertainty. According to Manish Solanki, chief operating officer (COO) and co-founder, TheSmallBigIdea, a creative digital marketing agency, these high-stakes matches present an opportunity for brands to invest and an attractive platform for advertisers aiming to maximise their impact.
Ajimon Francis, managing director (MD), Brand Finance India, an independent brand valuation consultancy firm, corroborated Laskar’s views and said that conventionally, all India matches attract more advertisers.
"Anybody can compete for an ad spot in an India-Pakistan match; there is no distinction there. Right from mobility brands (as electric vehicles are popular) to FMCG brands to tyre brands, all will try to compete," said Francis.
He noted that advertisers tend to get a higher return on investment (ROI) on TV compared to OTT platforms.
According to Navin Khemka, chief executive officer (CEO), EssenceMediacom, South Asia, under GroupM, live sports on digital platforms offer a segmented audience based on geography, type, and handset, helping brands have lower entry-level costs compared to national brands, thus giving them greater ROI. On the other hand, well-penetrated brands use the linear TV platform for wider reach to further increase their footprint.
"Even brands with smaller budgets have opportunities to tap into this audience through targeted advertising," said Siddharth Devnani, co-founder and director, SoCheers, a creative digital agency that handles brands like Tata Soulfull, Yippee, ITC e-Store, Classmate, Haldiram’s, Croma, and Havmor, among others. "India matches typically cost two-to-three times the overall package price, reflecting their massive viewership potential. The India-Pakistan clash is the most in demand, but it’s never sold separately, it comes bundled within larger packages," Devnani added.
However, according to Ankit Banga, chief business officer, FCB Kinnect and FCB/SIX India, a digital marketing company that handles HDFC Bank, Asian Paints, Flipkart, SBI, Aditya Birla Capital, Lenovo, and TVS Motor, among others, since the Champions Trophy is scheduled close to the Indian Premier League (IPL), it might shift advertisers towards IPL.
"In the past, we’ve seen premiums go as high as four times for high-profile matches. However, this year, with the Champions Trophy scheduled close to the IPL, advertisers are leaning more towards IPL due to its extended duration and sustained reach. As a result, we’re not seeing a significant premium this time," Banga added.
According to Dr Sandeep Goyal, chairman, Rediffusion, average ad rate for IPL matches is ₹15 lakh for 10 seconds, which could go up to ₹18 lakh in high profile matches. An India-Pakistan match is always a major tent pole on the cricket calendar. Despite Pakistan having declined somewhat as a cricket superpower, the sub-continental rivalry has remained alive over the years. The match will get record eyeballs, so every brand wants a piece of the action.
Last India-Pakistan match in 2023 attracted 173 million TV viewers on the Disney Star network and Doordarshan, whereas 225 million viewers watched the match digitally on Disney+Hotstar. The match had 76 million peak concurrencies on TV, whereas on digital, it was 35 million. So, this Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan needs to outdo those numbers to justify the price tag.
Surge in flight and hotel bookings to Dubai from Delhi and Mumbai
Not just advertisers demand for the India-Pakistan match but also flight and hotel bookings are observing a surge in demand due to all India matches being played in Dubai.
As per EaseMyTrip, an online travel company, there has been a significant surge in demand for flight bookings from Delhi and Mumbai to Dubai. It has increased by approximately 250 to 300 per cent in the past few weeks, largely driven by cricket enthusiasts eager to witness the highly anticipated India vs. Pakistan match on Sunday. The company also stated that it observed a 55 per cent increase in hotel bookings for Sunday's match.
"Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, other Indian cities experiencing a sudden surge in demand for flights to Dubai include Kolkata and Chennai," said Rikant Pittie, chief executive officer and co-founder, EaseMyTrip. "Travel agents in these cities have reported a sharp increase in inquiries and bookings as fans look to secure their travel plans for the tournament."
Additionally, airfares for flights to Dubai on leading airlines have been fluctuating, with round-trip prices currently ranging from over Rs 35,000 to nearly Rs 40,000. The prices on peak travel days like February 19 and 20 surged past Rs 50,000 and are expected to rise further.
Pittie added that the surge in flight tickets has been driven by high demand from cricket fans along with the ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival.
(With inputs from Surajeet Das Gupta)
