The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is off to a record-breaking start on Disney Star, the official broadcaster of the tournament.
A staggering 35 crore viewers tuned in to watch the first 10 matches live, exceeding viewership for any previous IPL edition, including those held during the pandemic. This data came from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.
The watch time for the first ten matches reached an impressive 8,028 crore minutes, a significant 20% increase compared to the same period last year.
A whopping 16.8 crore unique viewers tuned in on Star Sports for the opening day, marking an unprecedented high for the tournament’s launch.
Disney Star’s linear channels witnessed a massive 1,276 crore minutes watched, the highest ever for an IPL season opener.
Sanjog Gupta, Head – Sports, Disney Star, said, “We are overwhelmed with the record-breaking viewing figures for TATA IPL 2024. Disney Star has started the 17th season from where it left off last year, doubling down on fan-centred initiatives that seek to drive passion and fandom for the tournament. The unwavering support and love received from fans and audiences alike is an affirmation of Star Sports’ belief in the aggregative capacity of IPL on TV as well as its potential for further growth. The figures also reflect the success of our endeavour to enhance the IPL viewing experience through broadcast and programming innovations, including HDR-enhanced 4K, interactive services, and multi-platform fan engagement. We continue to remain committed to our vision of serving sports fans and recruiting new audiences.“
Just before the season began, Star Network under Disney further bolstered its offering by partnering with the data analytics company, CricViz.
The action continues tonight with Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on Punjab Kings (PBKS) at 7:30 PM IST.