Indian Premier League 2023 (IPL) continues to shatter digital viewership records but the BARC data suggests a sharp decline in TV viewership this season. BARC reports that IPL's TV viewership records for this season are at the second-lowest level in the last five editions. The TV Viewership is 16% lower than the average of the last five seasons as digital media continue to attract new users.
The frequency of IPL match watching on TV is continuing to decline as users are preferring digital platforms to enjoy the biggest T20 franchise league in the world. According to BARC data, the average number of matches watched on TV has been decreasing since 2019. There is also a strong decline in watch time, which has decreased to an average of 187 billion minutes from last year's 211 billion minutes. The contribution of the core sports target group to overall reach has decreased to 14.5% from 16.5% this year, the lowest since 2018.
Star Sports Network holds the right to broadcast IPL matches on TV while JioCinema streams digitally. JioCinema has kept its platform free for all users and there are no restrictions like registration to stream the IPL game. This has definitely diverted users to choose digital platforms over TV. A report from Synchronizs India and Unomer reveals that only 27% of users are watching the IPL on linear TV with the remaining 73% enjoying it on digital platforms.
This considerable decline in TV viewership has led advertisers to question Star Sports' plan to tackle the numbers. According to recent reports, there is a 43% decline in advertisers on TV for the first 38 matches, compared to IPL 2022's numbers. On the other hand, the digital platform is witnessing over 400 advertisers and 25 sponsors this season.
