Cricket is returning to the Indian soil after a whole year with the upcoming India vs England series. While the government is yet to discuss BCCI’s appeal to allow 50% capacity at the stadiums, Star Sports, the official broadcasters of the series, are likely to earn over INR 500 crore in ad revenue, according to estimates by media buyers.
This massive revenue will come collectively from television and Disney+Hotstar (the network’s over-the-top video streaming platform) as Star is selling 10-second ad slots for INR 7-8 lakh. Till now, 80% of inventory for ODIs and T20 matches and 70-75% of Test match inventory have been sold. Although the advertisers and sponsors have not been revealed yet, the series is reportedly attracting categories such as auto, edtech, e-commerce, automotive, insurance, financial services, gaming and telecom.
This wide interest from different industries comes with its own reasons. Since the matches are taking place in India, the match timings will be pretty convenient for the interested parties to showcase their ads. On top of it, Test cricket has suddenly become extremely popular in the country given India’s recent spectacular victory over Australia.
Anil Jayaraj, executive vice president of Star Sports said, “England tour of India is the most awaited bilateral series. It marks the return of cricket to Indian soil after a long hiatus. The consumption and reach of series on Star Sports have been growing across segments, and there is anticipation among the viewers which has led to strong demand from brands. This is only the beginning; we look forward to a strong line-up of cricketing action this year and we are excited about the possibilities that we can offer to our brand partners.”
Star has already started the promotional campaign of the highly anticipated series featuring actor Boman Irani and the tagline #IndiaTaiyarHai. The tournament will be broadcasted on the Star Sports network and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar across five languages; English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu. Starting from February 5, the series will feature four Tests, five T20Is, and three ODIs.