TV viewership sinks as 73 per cent of audience streams IPL on digital platforms: Study

A recent ad effectiveness management report by Synchronize India and Unomer, named SCORE, reveals that the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is being watched three times more on the digital medium rather than on linear TV. The study says that 73 per cent of viewers stream the league on digital platforms on mobile and connected TV combined.

Moreover, the report also shows that more viewers stream the IPL on smart TVs than watching it over the cable or DTH. Around 62 per cent of the TV viewership is directed towards connected TV with cable or DTH taking away the rest of the 38 per cent of the viewership. This lopsided share is further substantiating the conjecture of TV viewership gradually receding for the mega tournament.

The report goes into greater details and insights on the viewing patterns of the IPL. For instance, around 52 per cent of the people tend to watch the IPL on both TV as well as on the phone. The TV exclusive share of the audience stands at only 18 per cent. On the other hand, the ones who watch it solely on the phone comprise around 30 per cent of the total audience base.

The on-going season of the IPL has emerged as interesting case study with respect to gauging the audience’s preference regarding watching the league on their desired platforms and mediums.

Viacom18 secured the digital streaming rights of the IPL for a five-year cycle from 2023-27 for Rs 24,758 crore whereas Disney Star retained the TV rights for Rs 23,575 crore for the same time period. This has kicked off an interesting tussle between the two with the former’s JioCinema roping in 23 advertisers and booking record revenues during the opening week of the tournament, as reported earlier on this portal.