According to the latest Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data, the first week of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 saw a dramatic dip in viewership of 33%.
The TVR for the first eight matches of the IPL 2022 was 2.52%, down from 3.75% the previous season. These figures cover the period from March 26, 2022, to April 1, 2022. This occurs only a few months before the IPL media rights auction.
The total number of viewers has likewise decreased by 14% to 229.06 million. It was 267.7 million in 2021. During IPL, Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi, which are typically at the top, have plummeted. In the BARC overall rankings, Star Sports 1 Hindi is ranked third, showing a drop in IPL viewership in the ongoing season.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued the media rights tender for the 2023-2027 IPL seasons last month. The cricket governing body of India hopes to receive an offer of close to Rs 50,000 crore. For the first time in IPL history, the BCCI will hold an e-auction, which will begin on June 12.
Disney+ Hotstar, TV18-Viacom (Sports-18), Amazon, Zee, META and Sony are some of the companies that will battle it out for the lucrative media rights of the Indian cash-rich league.
The opening match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Sunday encounter between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), both surpassed 100 million views. In the first week of last year, four matches surpassed the 100 million mark.