ITV

Category: Sports

  • Salman Khan narrates CSK & MSD love story on Star Sports

    Mumbai: Of all the great stories that the TATA IPL has dished out over the years, there is none that is as special as the love story between the Chennai Super Kings and their captain MS Dhoni. Affectionately called as ‘Thala’, the bond between the people of Chennai towards their captain who hails from Ranchi, showcases the love that transcends geographical barriers between the yellow army and their captain.

    Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, in an entertaining segment on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Live’ titled ‘Storytime with Bhaijaan’ narrates to kids the love affair between Chennai and MSD, and how they conquered the IPL four times under his leadership.

    Salman will also be promoting his film ‘Kisi Ka Bhai, Kisi Ki Jaan’ which is set to hit theatres on 21st April, 2023, on the show ‘Cricket Live’ which will be followed Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings, 7.30 PM onwards, LIVE & Exclusive on the Star Sports Network.

    Watch ‘Storytime with Bhaijaan’ – The love story of CSK & MSD

     

     

  • Karan & Moin becomes Delhi Capitals’ official styling partners

    Mumbai: Karan & Moin, the leading luxury menswear label that is synonymous with sublime craftsmanship, announced their association with Delhi Capitals as the official styling partners for the Indian T20 League 2023 season. As a part of this association, Karan & Moin will design the players’ outfit for all off-field occasions during the course of the season.  

    The Delhi Capitals revived their six-year partnership with Karan & Moin, an  association based on trust and confidence in Karan & Moin’s simple mission to  make each customer’s journey a memorable one through design ideas that push the limits of inspiration.  

    Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra said, “Looking good is an important  psychological element that boosts the team’s confidence and therefore we are  thrilled to have Karan & Moin as our official styling partners. We know that with  Karan & Moin on board, our team is definitely in good hands, when it comes to  the outfits the players will wear during off-field occasions.”

    Speaking about the partnership, Karan & Moin director Karan Sabri said, “We are pleased to be the stylist for the Indian T20 League franchise, Delhi Capitals. We design with a minimalistic, classic, evergreen styling that transcends time. We pride ourselves in adapting the style to uniquely complement the stature of  each team member’s personality, making them look better than their best. We are looking forward to decking out the team to shine.”

  • Local language feeds make sports accessible to a larger section of viewers across markets: Rajesh Kaul

    Mumbai: Cricket is worshipped in India and is the most-watched game. Today other sports are jostling for space and gaining traction among sports enthusiasts. Football is one such sport, Sony Sports Network has extended its collaboration with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the governing body of football in Europe. As part of the deal, the broadcaster has acquired the exclusive media rights for all the UEFA National Team competitions scheduled between 2022-2028 and will showcase the UEFA EURO 2024 & 2028, along with its European Qualifiers and Friendly Matches. As part of the six-year deal, the broadcaster will showcase over 1300 football matches across its channels.

    Indiantelevision.com in conversation with Rajesh Kaul – Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution & International Business and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India, on this acquisition, the YoY viewership of the channel and the advertiser’s interest for a non-cricketing sport and much more….

    Edited Excerpts:

    On the YoY growth in terms of viewership in the past 2 years for Sony Sports?

    Sports is different from other genres on TV, with viewership being driven by individual events. In the past few years, multiple sports properties have experienced exponential growth on both our sports channels & SonyLIV. On our sports channels, average Impressions for the LIVE matches of Euro 2020 were more than three times that of UEFA EURO 2016. Similarly, viewership for Tennis grand slams like the US Open and Roland Garros has grown by 208 per cent and 80 per cent respectively after moving to our platform. Properties like the Commonwealth Games (131 per cent) and Prime Volleyball League (45 per cent) have also experienced strong growth. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 coverage on our network achieved 450 million gross impressions – the highest for any Olympics telecast on Indian Pay TV channels. In terms of growth in gross impressions, 23 per cent higher than the Rio Olympics, making it the most-watched Olympic Games on Indian television and adding a serious value proposition for advertisers. (BARC, All India U+R, CS 2+, Gross impressions for LIVE telecast). The UEFA Champions League (Full Tournament) GRPs grew from 2016/17 season to the 2021/22 season by 264 per cent and represent a Year-on-Year growth of 29.4 per cent. (TG: BARC, All India, Male 15+ ABC).

    On the rights of UEFA, how do you see the growth of the football scene in India?

    There is a high affinity in India for international football competitions involving national teams and premium club football which is evident in the exponential growth of football ratings both on our sports channels & SonyLIV. These major football competitions also help in increasing the fan following of individual players which eventually positively impacts the viewership of these international football properties. Over the years, the UEFA Champions League and European leagues like the Bundesliga have developed a strong following among football core viewers, which we expect to grow even more in the coming years. 

    The UEFA Champions League (Full Tournament) GRPs grew from the 2016/17 season to the 2021/22 season by 264 per cent and represent a Year-on-Year growth of 29.4 per cent. (TG: BARC, All India, Male 15+ ABC). The EURO 2020 broadcast on Sony Sports Network was extremely successful with viewership impressions more than triple of the previous edition (BARC, All India U+R, All Audience, LIVE match Impressions on TV). We are positive that EUFA EURO 2024 will further break viewership records in India next year both on our sports channels & SonyLIV.

    On the multiple language feeds translating into viewership for Tier 2 & 3 markets for the channel?

    Local language feeds have helped make sports accessible to a larger section of viewers across markets and have also led to increasing in engagement levels due to higher comprehension. In our consumer research, we have clearly observed that local language commentary increases the probability of a family watching a sporting event together. Sony Sports TEN 3 and Sony Sports TEN 4 contribute to around 60 per cent of our viewership in smaller towns. They have been instrumental in growing viewership for WWE, UFC and other international properties on our network.

    On Cricket being the go-to game for most brands and with the IPL on us, spends have been earmarked, how are brands now looking to spend on non-cricketing sporting events? What has been the brand’s response to UEFA?

    When it comes to non-cricketing spends brands look at creating a strong association with the property.  Innovations and integrations become an absolute must and some examples of integrations are Thums Up’s ‘Palat de’ campaign for the Olympic Games 2020 or Grand Vitara’s association with Commonwealth Games 2022.

    There is a high attraction for UEFA events as they are among the most premium football events in the world like the EUROs, UEFA Champions League (UCL) and more. During UEFA EURO 2020 we had over 65 brands that associated with our network for the prestigious tournament across our linear and digital platforms. UCL continues to attract advertisers looking at selling premium products and services targeted especially at young audiences in Urban markets from categories like Mobile handsets, Automobiles and FMCG (for specific products).

    On the other marquee properties, you would be acquiring in 2023-24?

    The next big one that we are keen on acquiring is the BCCI rights while maintaining fiscal prudence.

  • Disney Star Network records the highest ever reach in HSM markets for TATA IPL 2023

    Mumbai: Disney Star, the official television broadcaster of TATA IPL 2023, has witnessed a massive growth in regional viewership of the marquee tournament. The Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) have recorded the highest viewership in IPL history with 20.4 crore fans tuning in for the first 10 matches, 29.5 per cent increase in comparison to the last edition. HSM also clocked a massive 4380 crore minutes of watch time, 25 per cent increase in comparison to last year. Significant centers for growth in HSM markets are UP, Bihar, MP, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana. Apart from HSM, the South markets have also witnessed a substantial growth of 21 per cent compared to the last edition, with AP/Telangana witnessing a 33 per cent consumption growth and Karnataka recording a 30 per cent growth, clocking 680 crore minutes for the first 10 matches, highest ever consumption (other than covid years) in IPL history. 

    Star Sports spokesperson said, “We are thrilled with the response we have received for our regional feeds. The Hindi speaking market has broken all viewership records to register the highest ever reach for the first 10 games in the history of IPL. Our feeds have been designed to bring fans closer to the game and provide an engaging experience. We have created surround programming for each language, keeping their unique culture in mind and this has helped us connect with fans in different parts of the country and provide them with an experience that is tailored to their needs.”

    Star Sports roped Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador. Singh, in his role as ‘sutradhaar’ for the Incredible League is involved in creating a stream of immersive and entertaining content which brings alive compelling narratives from the marquee tournament. The Hindi feed boasts some of the former cricketers as experts such as Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Mohammad Kaif, and more allows fans to deep dive into all the action in real-time. Additionally, exclusive association with Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings for their new shows ‘Halla Bol’ and ‘Chak De’ has increased consumption by 53 per cent in Rajasthan, and 37 per cent in Punjab & Haryana. Similarly, Star Sports has witnessed a growth of 58 per cent in consumption in UP by delivering engaging surround programming through an exclusive association with KL Rahul for ‘Stars on Star’ and Lucknow Super Giants for a new show ‘LSG Junction’ along with LIVE telecast of select IPL 2023 matches on Star Utsav Movies (FTA) channel to drive sampling and conversions to Star Sports. 

    The increase in consumption for the South Markets can be attributed to the region-specific themes and the vast range of in-house experts like Gundappa Vishwanath, MSK Prasad, K Srikkanth, L Balaji, S Badrinath, Murali Vijay and S Sreesanth among others bringing fans closer to the game. The launch of Star Sports Telugu HD along with the association with legendary actor & cricket enthusiast Nandamuri Balakrishna – has helped fans in AP/Telangana markets to connect further with the tournament. Adding to the fan fervor were special initiatives like the IPL trophy tour, #MySocietyStadium, and Fan Buses organised by Star Sports, making it an engaging and unforgettable experience for cricket enthusiasts across the country.  

    Star Sports has been at the forefront of fuelling fandom for sports. The ‘Shor On, Game On!’ campaign by the broadcaster generated significant excitement and support before the tournament. The campaign captured the true essence of fans’ passion, excitement, and togetherness while watching the Incredible League LIVE on television sets. Disney Star clocked 6230 crore minutes of watch time for the opening 10 matches with a cumulative reach of 30.7 crore viewers for the first 10 matches, both of which are the second highest across IPL History.

  • Why Airtel wants consumers to pay for streaming IPL on JioCinema?

    Mumbai: If Airtel has its way, consumers will have to pay to watch IPL on JioCinema.  

    In an anti-consumer move, Bharti Airtel has reached out to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and filed a complaint on offers of Live TV channels with broadband plans by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited.

    Reliance Jio has dismissed Bharti Airtel’s recent complaint calling the Sunil Mittal-led telco’s move a deliberate, malicious attempt to defame Jio’s consumer-friendly tariffs and protect its narrow interests.

    While Airtel always claims to be consumer friendly, it keeps its users tied to 2G. It has 370 million mobile subscribers, out of which more than 135 million customers are still on 2G.  

    “Airtel’s 2G users have to pay 155 every 24 days (more than Rs 190 for a month) to just stay connected, which was free earlier and 49 Rs for 28 days just 2-3 years back. 200% hike in such a short time. The data charges are effectively 150 per GB for these customers. They do not get any incoming facility after recharge. It is blocked after 7 days if you do not shell out 155,” said a telecom expert.

    Airtel earlier wanted to charge for incoming calls on its network and was against unlimited voice- who effectively pays for this, is only the poor.

    Every year, the service provider wants to increase tariffs primarily for feature phone users. These phones are used by the poor consumers, who cannot afford smartphones, in which they can get unlimited voice and data services. Airtel always makes complaints against low cost offers by others.  

    “Their DTH prices are highest in the market. The most basic package that comes free everywhere costs Rs. 227 on Airtel,” a DTH company executive said.  

    “But on Airtel’s cost side, it seems the company wants everything for free.

    They wanted free spectrum or very low-cost spectrum for mobile services, free spectrum for its company one-web for satellite communication and wanted to continue using free spectrum by license extension only. Airtel wanted waivers of AGR dues, low spectrum charges despite taking free administrative spectrum,” said a long time telecom watcher.  

    “The service provider regularly fights cases to avoid government payments but rarely does anything to reduce and set costs and forces its 4G and 5G on everyone. When free voice is available to smartphone users – also in the form of applications like WhatsApp, why does Airtel continue to charge exorbitant tariffs from its Poor consumers? Why does Airtel continue to oppose affordable services provided by others,” said another expert.  

    “This is clearly because, Airtel wants to make super normal profits at the cost of poor consumers as well as Government,” the expert added.

  • JioCinema announces first four Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan car winners

    Mumbai: After introducing Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan to viewers over the weekend, JioCinema announced winners who won a car each across the four TATA IPL 2023 matches played on 8 and 9 April. Bhimsen Mohanta from Raruan and Pali-resident Mahendra Soni won a car through the contest during Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals match and Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings match respectively on 8 April.  

    Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders fixture on 9 April saw Siddharth Shankar Sahoo from Cuttack winning the grand prize while Lakhisarai, Bihar’s Dhirendra Kumar won it by playing in Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan during the second match on Sunday between Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings.

    An avid fan of spin wizard Rashid Khan and Gujarat Titans, first winner of Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan Mohanta hails from the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha. The 36-year-old is employed in the state police force in the tiny town of Raruan.

    “I cannot believe I have won a car through Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan on JioCinema,” expressed Mohanta. “I have been watching my favourite team Gujarat Titans on JioCinema’s Hindi and Odia feeds. But the most exciting part of watching TATA IPL on JioCinema is to watch and win prizes every match.”

    Law student Soni was elated and could not believe that he would win a car while watching his favourite team Chennai Super Kings in action against Mumbai Indians. “The multi-camera views make it feel like I am watching the game in the stadium itself but from the comfort of my home,” the 26-year-old from Pali said.

    Cuttack resident Sahoo’s fandom of Kolkata Knight Riders could not have been rewarded better as he won the car when KKR’s Rinku Singh produced a stunning effort to record a win over Gujarat Titans. “Availability of commentary in my mother tongue Odia, and that too for free, is what keeps me hooked to JioCinema,” Sahoo admitted. 

    Mumbai Indians fan Kumar switched to digital this season and is happy with the decision that got him a car. “Earlier, I used to watch on TV, but watching it on digital is a new experience and the different camera angles are really enjoyable,” Kumar said.

    Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan is aimed to enhance the viewer’s experience while watching the TATA IPL on JioCinema vis-à-vis passively watching the league on legacy platforms. The contest offers viewers prizes like smartwatches, bluetooth speakers, bluetooth neckband, and wireless earphones, and a chance to win one car every match, among other prizes. 

    Viewers need to hold the phone in portrait mode. A chat box will open at the bottom of the screen where the question appears before every over along with four options. Viewers who give the most correct answers during the match, stand a chance to win the car.

  • With 31 per cent rating growth, IPL on TV Continues to Reign Supreme surpassing all benchmarks pre-pandemic

    Mumbai: Barring the two years of covid when the country was in lockdown, the opening match has witnessed the second highest rating in 12 years, the highest reach for an opening match ever and the highest consumption ever. Contrary to reports that IPL viewership on TV is on a decline, the performance on TV has beaten all expectations. IPL on TV is carrying forward the momentum that cricket on TV has generated over the past 8-9 months and is only set to grow during IPL.

    The opening match of IPL 2023 played between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings recorded a significant increase in TV viewership across key markets, audiences and broadcast feeds as per BARC. Star Sports witnessed an enormous 31 per cent growth in TV ratings as the match delivered a TVR of 7.3 with the peak viewership scaling to 10.2 TVR during Dhoni’s batting in the second innings. The reach for the opening match on TV witnessed a 20 per cent growth compared to last year whereas IPL on digital saw a 26 per cent drop in reach for the opening match, as per DATA.AI. Viewer consumption on TV too witnessed a massive uplift of 50 per cent as the live match clocked 8.7 billion minutes whereas the watch time on digital dropped by 30 per cent despite being free to stream.

    In terms of advertiser participation, despite uncertainties in global economic conditions, TV has seen a positive response in onboarding sponsors and advertisers. As per a source at Disney Star, the broadcaster has onboarded 20 new brands shortly after the massive success of the opening game and are in conversation with several more brands that have shown interest. Meanwhile as per reports, digital has seen a steep 70 per cent decline in advertiser count compared to last year.

    In summary, the IPL’s TV viewership has returned to pre-pandemic levels proving very clearly that IPL is viewed by most on linear television The opening match of IPL was testament to the consistency of growth in TV viewership for live cricket in India. 

     

  • Sony Sports Network extends its partnership with UEFA

    Mumbai: One of the leading sports broadcasters of India, Sony Sports Network, has extended its collaboration with Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the governing body of football in Europe. As part of the deal, the broadcaster has acquired the exclusive media rights for all the UEFA National Team competitions scheduled between 2022-2028 and will showcase the UEFA EURO 2024 & 2028, along with its European Qualifiers and Friendly Matches. The UEFA tournaments will be available exclusively on both linear television in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, as well as live-streamed on their on-demand OTT platform SonyLIV.

    Sony Sports Network will live telecast UEFA EURO 2024, one of the biggest international football tournaments featuring all the top national teams from Europe. The much-anticipated marquee tournament starts on 14th June 2024 and will be hosted in Germany, with the Final scheduled on 14th July in Berlin’s Olympiastadion. To qualify for UEFA EURO 2024, the teams must go through the European Qualifiers which will take place from March 2023 until March 2024 with the Play-Offs. The qualifiers will be played between 53 teams across ten groups in the round-robin format and will also be live telecast on Sony Sports Network.

    Sony Sports Network will also broadcast all the matches of the UEFA Nations League. The final act of the competition, the UEFA Nations League Finals 2023 will go underway from 14th June 2023 between Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, and Italy.

    As part of the six-year deal, the broadcaster will showcase over 1300 football matches across its channels. The network will televise the 2024 & 2028 European Qualifiers and the upcoming two editions of the UEFA EUROs. Additionally, football fans will witness all the games of the UEFA Nations League 2024 & 2026, as well as the UEFA Nations League Finals in 2025 & 2027. In addition to this, Sony Sports Network continues to be the official broadcaster for the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, Bundesliga, Emirates FA Cup and more.

    Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer – distribution & international business and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “We’re thrilled to announce that Sony Sports Network has extended its partnership with UEFA and secured the rights to the UEFA EURO 2024 and 2028 editions, further cementing our commitment to delivering premium quality football on a massive scale. With the acquisition of exclusive television and digital rights in the Indian sub-continent, we’re excited to bring the tournament to viewers in multiple languages, ensuring that fans can experience the thrill of one of the biggest events in football. UEFA commands some of the most premium football properties, and this association expands our football portfolio with an additional 1300 football matches making us the premier destination for European football in India.

    There is a high attraction for the marquee UEFA EURO tournament, featuring the top European footballing nations, both with advertisers and viewers in India. And this was evident in the successful broadcast of UEFA EURO 2020 on Sony Sports Network in which the viewership impressions were more than triple of UEFA EURO 2016 along with over 65 brands that associated with our network for the prestigious tournament across our linear and digital platforms.”

    UEFA director of marketing Guy-Laurent Epstein said, “We are very pleased to continue our partnership with Sony Sports Network as the home of UEFA National Team Football in the Indian subcontinent until 2028. Fans in the region will be offered an extensive and excellent coverage of UEFA’s European National Team Football portfolio which includes the European Qualifiers, UEFA Nations League, UEFA EURO 2024, and UEFA EURO 2028, with all matches broadcast on linear television and the digital platform SonyLIV.”

  • Schneider Electric becomes the ‘Official Sustainability Partner’ of Rajasthan Royals

    Mumbai: Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and next-gen automation, has announced that it has become the ‘Official Sustainability Partner’ of Rajasthan Royals for the second consecutive year. The partnership aims to make the game of cricket more sustainable. Rajasthan Royals team and management have yet again pledged to become ‘Green Yodhas’ for the planet. They will be working in collaboration with Schneider Electric to spread awareness around sustainability by urging the sports lovers to unite and accelerate their actions towards climate change. Luminous Power Technologies, owned by Schneider Electric recently became the title sponsor of Rajasthan Royals Team for the 2023 season, further strengthening the group’s commitment towards sustainability.

    Lauding Rajasthan Royals in their quest to go green, Schneider Electric India Pvt. Ltd zone president, Greater India (Designate); MD & CEO Deepak Sharma said, “Cricket being the most loved sport in the country, partnerships such as these are important to garner awareness and influence mindsets. Today as we are grappling with the challenges of climate change, we need to incorporate sustainability in all aspects of life. With a vision to bridge progress and sustainability, we are extremely proud and excited to become Rajasthan Royals’ sustainability partner and welcome them to become Green Yodhas for the planet.”

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum said, “We had an impactful association with Schneider Electric last season with sustainability as the core focus. Given the two brands’ common objective of positively impacting society, we are delighted to be extending this partnership for another year. Cricket and sports have a huge influence on society and we are looking forward towards driving sustainability and supporting the Green Yodha initiative through various campaigns during the season, which will highlight the need for being more climate conscious.”

    Commenting on the partnership, Schneider Electric VP- global marketing, chief marketing officer, Greater India Rajat Abbi said, “Cricket is my favorite sport and I always look forward to the T20 season with excitement. However, every small activity, be it on-field or off-field, has some environmental impact associated with it. Therefore, I believe that watching cricket should be both enjoyable and responsible. To steer this conversation among the masses, we have once again become their official sustainability partners. We welcome the team and its management on board and congratulate them for their efforts on becoming Green Yodhas for the planet.”

    Last year, Schneider Electric and Rajasthan Royals collaborated to organise a one-of-its kind carbon-neutral T20 cricket match, and the team and management lent their support to encourage the Green Yodhas in our country.

    #GreenYodha is a sustainability initiative by Schneider Electric that aims to build a community of conscious citizens and businesses to unite toward energy-efficient practices.

  • JioCinema sees record advertisers and sponsors in TATA IPL 2023 first week

    Mumbai: JioCinema, the official digital streaming partner of TATA IPL 2023, had a stellar opening week with 23 sponsors signing up for advertising on the platform. The number of advertisers and sponsors signed up by JioCinema for TATA IPL 2023 is significantly higher than any event on digital streaming in India.

    The sponsors on JioCinema for their digital streaming of TATA IPL 2023, included (co-presenting sponsor) Dream11, (co-powered) JioMart, PhonePe, Tiago EV, (associate sponsor) Appy Fizz, ET Money, Castrol, TVS, Oreo, Bingo, Sting, AJIO, Haier, RuPay, Louis Philippe Jeans, Amazon, Rapido, Ultra Tech Cement, Puma, Kamla Pasand, Kingfisher Power Soda, Jindal Panther TMT Rebar and Indeed.

    The number of advertisers on JioCinema who have signed up is also a new record as is the revenue booked, both significantly higher than last year on digital. With viewers enjoying the unique language feeds including Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, and Gujarati and digital only features like Multi-cam, 4K, Hype Mode, the list of brands joining the digital bandwagon is expected to grow further. Viewers were glued to JioCinema’s fan-centric presentation as the average time spent per viewer per match touched 57 minutes during the weekend, which was up by over 60 per cent compared to last season’s first weekend and has sustained in the first week.

    “The consistency with which we are delivering these numbers is evidence of the paradigm shift in sports viewing in India. Our sponsors and advertisers are rest assured of delivery and return on investment on JioCinema as through digital, they have the security that they are paying only for the actual impressions delivered unlike the legacy services,” said Viacom18 sports CEO Anil Jayaraj. “Besides, advertising on JioCinema offers brands greater precision, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility than TV advertising which is why we are convinced that we will have more and more advertisers shifting their focus and budgets towards digital.”

    JioCinema’s free streaming of the TATA IPL 2023 for all viewers in India has resulted in a record-breaking number of views in the first week – over 375 Cr. This followed a robust first weekend which amassed 147 Cr. views, yet another record for being the highest-ever opening weekend for the TATA IPL on digital. JioCinema set the tone with the season-opening clash between MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans, achieving a peak concurrency of 1.6 Cr. In addition, JioCinema registered over 2.5 Cr. downloads, a record for the most installed app in a single day.

    The record-breaking numbers are supported by customised device integration partnerships with over 500 OEM and CTV platforms, including Jio STB, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, OnePlus TV, Sony, Samsung, LG, and Xiaomi, among others. In addition, CTV viewers continue to watch the world’s most famous cricket league in 4K for the first time ever through JioCinema.

    In their endeavour to keep fans engaged and enhance their experience further, JioCinema announced, Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan, a new contest that gives everyone a chance to win one car every match. Introduced on 8 April, JioCinema recorded over 1.5 Cr. plays in the first two matches between Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.

    JioCinema set the tone with the season-opening clash between MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans, achieving a peak concurrency of 1.6 Cr. In addition, JioCinema registered over 2.5 Cr. downloads, a record for the most installed app in a single day.

    Defending champions Gujarat Titans, five-time champion Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals announced exclusive partnerships with JioCinema in the lead-up to the 2023 edition. Global cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, India’s most-celebrated cricket captain and four-time IPL winner MS Dhoni, world no. 1 T20 batsman Suryakumar Yadav and India Women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana joined hands with JioCinema to amplify their world-class, digital-first TATA IPL presentation.