With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 set to begin on March 22, Star Sports, the official broadcaster, has begun securing on-air sponsors for the cricketing extravaganza.
Despite this scheduling delay, the broadcaster has bagged on-air affiliations with seven major brands – Dream11, Vimal, Asian Paints, Thums Up, Joy Personal Care, Dettol, and Amul.
The season kicks off with a marquee matchup between the defending champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the former’s den, MA Chidambaram.
However, due to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, only the initial schedule for the first 21 matches has been released.
Industry experts believe that a complete IPL schedule reveal will attract even more sponsors. A clear picture of match dates will allow brands to strategize their advertising campaigns more effectively.
The television network is also upping the ante with “Star Sports Hot Deals,” a new feature that allows viewers to interact with advertisements on their second screens during matches. This innovative approach could further entice potential sponsors seeking to engage dynamically with the massive IPL audience.
The media company recently partnered with the data analytics company, CricViz. This collaboration aims to bring viewers a fresh perspective on cricket analysis for the IPL and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
JioCinema, the official streaming platform for the tournament, also unveiled its first batch of sponsors.
With the IPL’s well-known viewership potential, securing additional sponsors before the tournament kicks off remains a robust possibility.