IPL makes 'Ek India Happywala'

With a cumulative reach of 347 million, the Indian Premier League has registered itself as the most viewed event on television even in its ninth season

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | May 27, 2016

The Indian Premier League in its ninth season now has garnered a cumulative reach of 347 million up to the sixth week of the tournament. Over 52 matches were played in the season. The tournament is being telecast on Sony Max, Sony Six and Sony ESPN (part of Sony Pictures Networks India), the official broadcasters.

The cumulative reach for the biggest cricket event in the country has grown from 218 million (in week 1) to 266 million (week 2) to 297 million (week 3), 317 million (week 4) and 335 million (week 5). The cricket event has undoubtedly been the biggest property in cricket, entertainment and television in the country.

With thousands of crores of rupees riding on the league, it is also the most expensive property on television as on date. Possibly the only television programme to bring in maximum number of non-TV viewers to the platform, IPL has always enjoyed its share of premium even from the brands and advertisers.

Here are a few television performance highlights of each week for the tournament:

Week Six (Nine matches played between May 14 and May 20)

IPL achieved a viewership of 793 GVM ((gross TV viewership in million) in prime time at the all-India level and was way ahead of the no. 2 channel which was at 377 GVM. Even at an HSM level, IPL with 578 GVM in prime time was way ahead of the no. 2 channel at 311 GVM.

IPL recorded a 60 per cent growth since the opening week to achieve a cumulative reach of 347 million, the highest for any sporting event on television in India.

Markets that grew this week were Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Rajasthan, North East, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra/ Goa and Bihar.

Week Five (Nine matches played between May 7 and May 13)

The sporting event at a cumulative reach of 335 million was seen by more than 50 per cent of India's pay TV households in the fifth week. With this, IPL 2016's reach grew 54 per cent over its opening week reach.

Any single prime time game in IPL was seen by an average 84.4 million viewers, which was higher than India's biggest television market -- Uttar Pradesh.

Sony Max continued to rule in the fifth week as the no.1 television channel at both the all-India and Hindi-speaking market level.

Sony Six and Sony ESPN together were at 238 GVM and surpassed the entire sports genre which stood at 27 GVM.

Week Four (Nine matches played between April 30 and May 6)

For the first time ever, a sporting event had achieved a cumulative reach of 317 million among pay television households. With this, IPL grew by 45 per cent from its opening week.

IPL with 902 GVM was 231 per cent better than the second-most viewed channel in prime time at an all-India level and with 655 GVM at HSM level was 198 per cent better than the second most viewed channel in prime time.

Sony Max in the fourth week of IPL was at 601 GVM in prime time and surpassed the entire Hindi movie Genre which stood at 549 GVM. Sony Six and Sony ESPN together were at 245 GVM and surpassed the entire sports genre which stood at 37 GVM.

IPL gained further loyalty with a 15 per cent growth in time spent over the opening week.

In the last four weeks, IPL 2016 continued to grow despite a drop in the overall television viewership both at the all-India and HSM level.

Week Three (Nine matches played between April 23 and April 29)

IPL with 927.4 GVM was 234 per cent better than the second most viewed channel in prime time at an all-India level and with 676.2 GVM was 203 per cent better than the second-most viewed channel in HSM.

The league continued to grow and achieved a cumulative reach of 297 million in the third week of the tournament.

Markets that grew in the third week are Mumbai, PHCHPK, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Week Two (nine matches played between April 16 and April 22)

Sony Max, Sony Six and Sony ESPN continued to grow in the second week of the T20 cricket tournament after just 16 matches.

IPL had achieved a cumulative reach of 266 million continuing to build a larger audience base than ever before in its first fortnight.

With rural data being reported for the first time, the response had been great with a 43 percent reach from rural.

46 per cent viewership was from female viewers which make IPL a truly family inclusive event. In terms of the audience profile, IPL was the most watched among the 22-30 year olds.

Top performing markets were Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Gujarat.

Sony Max grew from being the no.1 channel in HSM in week 1 to being the no.1 channel at an all-India level in week two.

Week One (Seven matches played between April 9 and April 15)

IPL 2016 opened with a cumulative reach of 218 million viewers in its first week.

IPL 2016's opening seven games rated 21033 average Impressions at an all India (Urban+Rural) level.

The opening game between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants rated a whopping 24,448 impressions and a reach of 97 million viewers across India.

Female viewership in the opening week was a staggering 98 million across India.

The VIVO IPL made an incredible impression in its first week and firmly cemented its position as the leading T20 tournament in India. The tournament ruled the roost across demographics and geographies, strengthening the fact that it is a family inclusive tournament and living up to its 'Ek India Happywala' promise.

(All the BARC viewership data has been shared by the broadcaster.)

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