Are advertisers warming to ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024?

After a subdued initial response, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 is gaining traction with advertisers. Initially cautious due to factors such as cricket fatigue, differing time zones, and significant investments already made in the IPL and elections, marketers are now beginning to embrace the tournament, according to industry experts. Official broadcaster Disney Star, which started with 19 sponsors, has now added more brands including P&G, Google, Colgate, AMFI, Ultratech, and Amazon.

Experts attribute the increasing advertiser interest to Team India’s strong performance in the tournament. Additionally, Disney Star’s decision to maintain last year’s ad rates has made the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup more attractive to advertisers. Media planners suggest that if India continues its winning streak, more advertisers will likely join during the knockout stages. So far, Team India has won three matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA.

Ajay Gupte, CEO of Wavemaker South Asia, noted that while there is interest in the T20 World Cup, it does not match the excitement seen during the IPL. He pointed out that the tournament being held in America might be causing some caution among advertisers. However, he remains optimistic that momentum will build after the initial week, especially with all India matches scheduled for prime time at 8 pm.

As previously reported by exchange4media, the broadcaster has not changed ad rates compared to last year, though some key matches have sold at higher prices, including the India vs Pakistan match, which peaked at 2.9 crore concurrent viewers on Disney+ Hotstar.

Anil Solanki, Senior Director, Media Lead at DentsuX, shared that viewership for the T20 World Cup has been steadily growing, with significant interest not only in matches involving India or top teams but also due to surprising performances by associate teams, making the tournament more exciting for fans. He noted that new advertisers are showing interest, although it is still early to gauge the full extent of this trend, expecting more brands to join during the knockout stages.

Another senior media planner, who preferred to remain anonymous, mentioned that it is too early to make predictions, as advertisers await more clarity and ratings before making investment decisions.

Exchange4media reported that co-presenting and associate sponsorship for 55 matches for both HD and SD feeds was priced at Rs 61.4 crore, with separate pricing for SD and HD at Rs 47 crore and Rs 24 crore, respectively. On TV, spot buys for sponsors for both HD and SD are priced at Rs 6.2 lakh, Rs 4.7 lakh for SD, and Rs 2.4 lakh for HD feeds separately. For all matches, the sports broadcaster seeks Rs 6.40 lakh for both SD and HD feeds, while 28 key matches are priced at Rs 11.25 lakh. The best six India and knockout matches plus 12 prime-time matches are priced at Rs 13.80 lakh. All India and knockout matches are priced at Rs 26.50 lakh. Key non-India matches (prime-time) are priced at Rs 4.50 lakh.

For SD feed only, the broadcaster asks for Rs 8.70 lakh for 28 key matches of India/Knockouts, with HD priced at Rs 4.50 lakh. Premium feeds (Eng SD+All HD) are priced at Rs 6.75 lakh.

The next match for India in the T20 World Cup is scheduled for June 12 against the USA. India played its first match against Ireland on June 5 and its second match against Pakistan on June 9.