Disney Star is close at Rs 2500 crore in IPL ad sales.

With only two days left in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Disney Star, the league's official broadcaster, is rumored to have closed advertising sales deals totaling Rs 2500 crore, and sources say deals totaling another Rs 500 crore are currently being discussed. Numerous previous sponsors, including start-ups like Dream11 and venerable companies like Airtel, Coke, Asian Paints, Pepsi, Tata, and vivo, have agreements with the broadcaster despite the uncertain economic climate.

Disney Star India, which paid Rs 23,575 crore to maintain the Broadcast rights, faces a challenging task in trying to recoup its significant IPL wagers. If industry sources' projections are to be accepted, Disney Star's IPL ad revenue virtually doubled in four years, from Rs 1800 crore in 2018 to a peak of Rs 3500 crore in 2022.

"With a new competitor (Viacom 18) entering the market, Disney is unquestionably under pressure to at least hit the 2022 milestone. This IPL has been challenging for Disney Star, which is using all of its influence to seal the commercial deals, according to a source in the business.

Having said that, IPL has a reliable source of money from TV advertising, which is also the preferred platform for promoting brands. It strengthens the broadcast rights holder's ability to distribute content.

More than 55 firms have reportedly joined Disney Star, according to industry sources who spoke earlier this month. Another senior industry insider stated that at this point, the number "should have rocketed up to 15 sponsors and at least 75 brands."

High-ranking sources have verified the development to exchange4media, despite the broadcaster's continued secrecy about the specifics.

Additionally, it has been discovered that the majority of the firms that have signed the agreements come from industries including fantasy games, beverages, telecom, fintech, insurance, automobiles, online delivery, consumer durables, paints, FMCG, and travel.

Disney Star, meanwhile, has revealed that it will broadcast 12 IPL games on its free-to-air channel Star Utsav Cinema for the first time ever since the network purchased TV rights to the competition. The action is anticipated to significantly increase Disney Star's audience in the rural market.

"Since Jio is competing with them this year, the broadcaster is acting shrewdly and coming up with novel strategies to attract more businesses. As the competition draws closer, one should anticipate the number to surpass 75, according to a second industry veteran.