Star Sports, India’s leading sports broadcaster, witnessed a phenomenal surge in viewership for the recently concluded 2023-24 Premier League (PL) season.
Compared to the previous year, the TV reach for the prestigious English league witnessed a staggering 63% growth.
This surge goes beyond mere numbers. Notably, a significant portion of the growth stemmed from premium audiences. A dominant 70% of viewership in metropolitan areas came from NCCS A households, representing India’s most affluent demographic (New Consumer Classification System Category A).
This trend culminated in a record-breaking finale. The final matchday registered a 5.5 times increase in viewership among NCCS A viewers in megacities, highlighting the Premier League’s growing association with high-end entertainment on Star Sports.
Megacities witnessed explosive growth: TV reach doubled, TVR (Television Rating Points) doubled, and watch time increased by a whopping 2.6 times.
Specific club popularity: Among NCCS A viewers in megacities, clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and defending champions Manchester City all saw their reach grow by a factor of three.
The New Consumer Classification System (NCCS), developed by the Market Research Society of India (MRSI) and Media Research Users Council (MRUC), helps advertisers understand their target audience better by classifying them into different consumer groups.
The new season of English top flight kicks off on August 17 at 12:30 AM IST with the Red Devils taking on Fulham FC. Other interesting opening-day matchups include the Gunners vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United vs. Aston Villa and Chelsea vs Manchester City.