Mumbai: Disney Star, the official television broadcaster of IPL 2023, on Thursday said that 36.9 crore viewers, based on BARC data for 2+ age groups across Urban + Rural markets, tuned in to Network’s live broadcast of the first 19 matches of the ongoing season, which happens to be the highest ever in the league’s history even after considering the two editions played during Covid-19.
The broadcaster also clocked 11,350 crore (113.5 billion) minutes of watch time for the first 19 matches. Citing BARC data, the broadcaster said it saw a 25 per cent increase in match TVR in comparison to the last edition.
“It has been a record-breaking start to Tata IPL 2023 on Disney Star, eclipsing all previous benchmarks for viewership of the first 19 matches. Close matches and scintillating individual performances combined with the power of Star Sports’ #BetterTogether campaign and world-class storytelling capabilities have ensured that viewership for IPL 2023 in just 19 matches is within touching distance of the viewership registered by the full season last year,” said Sanjog Gupta, Head – Sports, Disney Star, in an statement.
“We are seeing record viewership in multiple audience cohorts across age groups, gender, and SECs, which is indicative of Television being the most preferred destination for family/community viewing of marquee sporting events. We are thankful to fans for the outpouring of love and support for Disney Star’s coverage of IPL. We will strive to continue elevating the viewing experience,” he added.
The Network also mentioned that it offers over nine different language feeds, which is helping it cater to audiences across the country. Other initiatives include region-specific pre-match analysis, post-match discussions, fan polls, and interactive segments with renowned cricket experts.
“With celebrity associations including Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Pooja Hegde, and Nandamuri Balakrishna, the broadcaster has pushed the envelope to attract a more diverse audience to the mix. In addition to this, Star Sports has associated with some of the biggest cricket stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and KL Rahul to bring fans stories beyond the game through a special programming initiative, ‘Stars on Star’, the statement further read. .
The other programming initiatives include exclusive partnerships with Rajasthan Royals, KKR, LSG, and PBSK, which have allowed fans to experience the league from the players’ and teams’ perspectives, providing them behind-the-scenes access, interviews with players and coaches, and other exciting content that has helped increase overall engagement for the league.
(IANS)
