IPL 2021 – Viewership dropping, advertisers looking for discounts: The problems for 14th edition of the Indian Premier League is growing at every possible front. Amid Covid-19 crisis, for BCCI it is getting difficult to continue the tournament and for official broadcaster Star Sports falling viewership is creating heartburn with the advertisers.
IPL 2021 – Viewership dropping, advertisers looking for discounts: Accoridng to reports, advertisers have started asking for discounts or want their deals to be reworked as IPL 2021 ratings are continuously falling. Though official broadcaster Star Network at this stage has denied that any such request has been made by the advertiser – but Economic Times has reported that advertisers and their agencies are knocking Star Network’s doors for discounts.
As per the IPL contracts with the advertisers, no exit is allowed in case of fall in ratings or any other issue related to the league. One of the media-buying executive told ET that some advertisers want leeway in more extra-airtime.
“We have paid at least 20% premium for advertising on IPL this year; we can’t exit, but we do need reworking of deals or compensation in terms of extra advertising mileage on Star platforms,” said a senior official of a leading advertiser which has bought prominent ad slots. “The ratings are down, players are quitting the league, and with retail shops closed, out-of-home impulse consumption is down to negligible,” according to the Media Buying Executive quoted by ET.
“Advertisers are justified in asking for some leeway. When they inked deals with Star, the second wave (of the pandemic) was nowhere on the horizon,” said Sandeep Goyal, chairman of media marketing company Mogae Media. “Brands can’t exit when there’s a downside and ride the wave when there’s an upside, so a middle ground will be worked out,” he said.
IPL 2021 Viewership Down: Advertisers asking for discounts as viewership is consistently down for 14th edition of IPL
IPL 2021 LIVE – Viewership Ratings for IPL 2021 Falls: As the entire country is grappling with Covid-19 menace – not only Covid-19 has breached IPL Bio-Bubble but also has badly hit the televison ratings of IPL 2021. The viewership figures of 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) are also badly hit. Be it the reach or viewing minutes for IPL 2021 on Star Sports Network, both are almost down by almost 30-35% in comparison to the last edition of the league.
Viewing Minutes – BARC India data for India 2+/ TV Only/ Live Matches Only
IPL 2021 – 6.62 Billion for first 17 matches
IPL 2020 – 8.34 Billion for first 14 matches
IPL 2019 – 6.07 Billion for first 17 matches
The viewing minutes for the 17 matches stood at 6.62 billion compared to 8.34 billion for the first 14 matches in IPL 2020 and 6.07 billion in IPL 2019.
Cumulative Reach – BARC India data for India 2+/ TV Only/ Live Matches Only
IPL 2021 – 105 Million viewers for first 17 matches
IPL 2020 – 116 Million Viewers for first 14 matches
IPL 2019 – 101 Million Viewers for first 17 matches
The first 17 matches of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 have attained a cumulative reach of 105 million viewers, as per the BARC India data. Comparatively, the first 14 matches of IPL 2020 had a cumulative reach of 116 million viewers. IPL 2019 had a cumulative reach of 101 million viewers for the first 17 matches.