It’s all about the number game – both on and off the field. The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) was rescheduled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with a hard decision of leaving fans out of the action at the grounds due to the ongoing pandemic protocols. However, this didn’t seem to hamper the fan following of the league as it raked in a record over 250 million viewers in only its first week.
Fans Get To Business Online / Television
With fans permitted from being part of the action at stadiums, they had to switch to digital mediums to ensure they don’t lose out on the action. This gave the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League a massive boost in terms of viewership. Going by the numbers, as many at 269 million viewership hits were recorded in the first week of the league. That’s the most for any domestic sports league viewership.
Organizers Expect Numbers To Soar Further
The record rise in numbers could be seen due to various factors. One of many been the pandemic norms which has limited many people to the confines of their homes, thereby easing it to view on the go. Another could be the presence of broadcasting on digital platforms like Disney Hotstar, which are easily accessible on smartphones. With the festive season nearing and the competition getting into its groove, organizers are expecting the numbers to soar even more. This further gives a boost to its earnings through advertising.
Season Opener Set The Bar
The first game of the season between defending champions Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings was one of the most viewed sports events in India. The game alone roped it 200 million (20 crores) viewers throughout the three hours of action.
With the league heading into its most important and decisive phase, it is sure to get more viewers glued to their screens!
Opening match of #Dream11IPL sets a new record!
As per BARC, an unprecedented 20crore people tuned in to watch the match. Highest ever opening day viewership for any sporting league in any country- no league has ever opened as big as this. @IPL @SGanguly99 @UShanx @DisneyPlusHS
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) September 22, 2020
