Star Sports, India’s leading sports broadcaster, has achieved an unprecedented milestone by securing the highest viewership for a Grand Slam tournament ever recorded in India.
The network’s coverage of the Wimbledon Championships 2024 captivated a massive audience.
A staggering 36.3 million viewers tuned in to witness the prestigious tennis tournament, marking a substantial 176% increase compared to the previous year. The cumulative watch time of 930 million minutes further underscores the immense popularity of the event among Indian sports fans.
The men’s and women’s finals garnered record-breaking viewership figures, with the men’s championship match between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic emerging as the most-watched men’s Grand Slam final in Indian television history.
Star Sports’ commitment to regional accessibility played a pivotal role. Hindi language coverage reached a substantial audience of 18.4 million unique viewers, bringing the thrill of Wimbledon to a wider audience. Dedicated sports channels, Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 2 witnessed a 7% increase in overall watch time, with viewers glued to the action for an average of 106 minutes.
Disney Star, Head – Sports, Sanjog Gupta, said, “Star Sports has taken the tradition and prestige associated with Wimbledon to new viewers this year. Our production efforts entailing live coverage in Hindi, programming efforts entailing improved surround programming and highlights in Telugu and Kannada and marketing efforts entailing a consideration-driving 360-degree campaign have piqued the interest in the ‘Grandest Slam’, fuelling its growth. The enhanced viewing experience served to Tennis fans and viewers of Star Sports Select network has also fuelled a significant boost in engagement metrics.”
All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Commercial and Marketing Director, Usama Al-Qassab, added, “Broadening our audience in India is key for Wimbledon to achieve its global targets. Disney Star is a critical partner and has contributed significantly to the exponential growth of the Wimbledon brand which has never been stronger in India. We look forward to building on those results in 2025.”
Star Sports’ success stemmed from a winning combination of factors. Live Hindi coverage, surround programming with shows like “Wimbledon Daily Live” (up 231% in reach!), and a comprehensive marketing campaign fueled the excitement. Packaged highlights in Tamil and Kannada further expanded the reach, introducing the tournament to an additional 14 million viewers.
