Disney Star, the official television broadcaster of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023-27, announced that viewership for the live broadcast of the first 29 matches of the ongoing season has surpassed 40 crore, recording a growth of 24% in TVR compared to the 2022 edition.
The viewership for the first 29 games is also 3.7 crore greater than the audience for the whole 2022 edition. For the live broadcast of the first 29 matches, Disney Star achieved its best-ever reach throughout all IPL editions in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
The broadcaster has also seen a spectacular increase in the age group of 2 to 14 years throughout all IPL seasons, providing a significant boost to brands targeting this consumer demographic. Furthermore, 9.32 million children tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the first 29 games, a 58.7% increase over the previous edition.
For the first 29 matches, over 25 crore premium audiences from NCCS A and NCCS B tuned in to the live broadcast on the Disney Star Network. These two consumer cohorts have the most reach throughout the 15 years of IPL, such as the covid years. This achievement demonstrates the league’s increasing appeal and the broadcaster’s potential to captivate audiences of all ages with high-quality content.
Sanjog Gupta, Head – Sports, Disney Star, said, “IPL on Disney Star continues to register new highs. Competitive matches and strong individual performances powered by Star Sports’ world-class programming, key partnerships, and sustained marketing efforts to recruit audiences have sustained the upward trajectory of viewership. The highest-ever viewership in the Hindi-speaking markets, premium audiences (NCCS A) and Kids’ demographic (2-14 years) shows that our #BetterTogether campaign, seeking to galvanize familial and community viewing, has hit the mark. We are thankful to the millions of fans who have made Disney Star their preferred destination for a seamless and enhanced experience of IPL.”
In Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM), Disney Star has attained the highest-ever reach. The live broadcast drew over 27.3 crore people, making it a record event in IPL history. In addition, Star Sports 1 (Hindi) has been named the number-one channel for the third week in a row, making it a popular destination for cricket fans across the country. The high-octane match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) drew 5.2 crore concurrent viewers on television, the second highest in IPL history.
Along with breaking television audience records, Disney Star has set new standards in high-definition (HD) broadcasting. With an astonishing 6.6 crore viewers tuning in to the HD broadcast, the network attained the highest-ever HD channel reach. This figure is three times greater than last year, indicating a growing desire for high-definition sports viewing.
On-ground experiences such as the IPL Trophy Tour, Fan Bus, #MySocietyStadium, and The Incredible School Quiz (India’s largest-ever school quiz), alongside the #AskStar initiative, have allowed fans to form greater bonds with the event and boost overall league engagement. The unique partnership with META Influencers additionally established the path for the IPL to use the power of social media and provide an engaging and participatory experience for fans.