If you’re reading this, you’ve been buying Linear TV sports inventory for years. You know the drill: negotiate rates, lock in IPL/World Cup spots a few months early, run 10-30 second spots during matches, wait for TRP estimates, and hope your investment pays off.
Here’s what we need to say upfront: Linear TV isn’t dying. It’s evolving.
The same big-screen magic that’s made TV the heart of India’s sports viewing culture for decades? It’s still there. The collective gasp during a last-ball thriller. The eruption of celebration when your team scores. The living room where families gather. That hasn’t changed.
What HAS changed is this: 80 million Indian households now watch that same big-screen sports content on Smart TVs with internet connections. They’re watching the same IPL matches, the same World Cup drama, on the same 50-inch living room screens. The only difference? You can now target them precisely, measure every impression, and pay only for who actually watched.
In 2026, smart Linear TV advertisers aren’t abandoning TV—they’re expanding it. They’re keeping their Linear TV presence while adding Connected TV (CTV) to reach the households that have upgraded their infrastructure.
Here’s why the smartest LTV advertisers are planning a hybrid 70/30 or 60/40 strategy for 2026.
1. The Magic of the Big Screen (And Why It Still Matters)
There’s Something Undeniably Powerful About the Big Screen Experience
Whether it’s the collective gasp during a last-ball thriller or the eruption of celebration when your team scores, television has always been the heart of India’s sports viewing culture. The living room TV isn’t just a device—it’s where families gather, friendships are forged over shared passions, and brands become part of memorable moments.
This is why Linear TV has worked for your brand for decades. And this is exactly why CTV works too.
CTV Isn’t “Digital”—It’s TV 2.0
Let’s clear up the biggest misconception:
What CTV Actually Is:
- ✅ 50-55 inch Smart TVs in living rooms
- ✅ Same screens your LTV ads run on
- ✅ Same family co-viewing behavior
- ✅ Same primetime 7-10 PM viewership
- ✅ Same sports viewing experience
What Changed:
- 📊 Content delivered via internet (not cable/DTH)
- 📊 Ads can be targeted by income, age, city
- 📊 You know exactly who watched
- 📊 Real-time reporting and optimization
What Did NOT Change:
- ❌ Screen size (still 50+ inches)
- ❌ Viewing environment (still living room, lean-back)
- ❌ Co-viewing culture (still families/friends together)
- ❌ Emotional impact (big moments still feel bigger)
- ❌ Ad completion rates (85-95% on CTV, similar to LTV)
Why Sports on the Big Screen Will Always Win
Ask yourself: Do you watch IPL finals on your phone or on your living room TV?
Your audience does the same:
Cricket = Family Event in India
- Big screen = shared experience (parents, kids, friends)
- Emotional moments hit harder on 50-inch screens
- Ad creative has more impact when it’s cinematic
- Peak co-viewing during World Cup/IPL matches
JioStar Data Confirms the Big Screen Dominance:
- 60-65% of CTV sports viewers watch on 50+ inch TVs
- Peak viewing 7-10 PM (same as Linear TV primetime)
- 2.5 hours average session (similar to Linear TV behavior)
- Match completion rates: 90%+ (viewers stay till the last ball)
The Premium Environment: Both LTV and CTV Share
| Metric | Mobile Viewing | Linear TV | CTV |
| Screen Size | 6-inch | 50-55 inch | 50-55 inch |
| Viewing Environment | Distracted, multitasking | Lean-back, focused | Lean-back, focused |
| Co-Viewing | Mostly solo | Family/friends | Family/friends |
| Ad Completion | 40-60% | 85-95% | 85-95% |
| Brand Recall | Lower (small screen) | Higher (cinematic) | Higher (cinematic) |
| Emotional Impact | Limited | High | High |
| Female Audience | 20% | 47% | 47% (2.5X more than mobile) |
Bottom Line: CTV preserves everything that makes Linear TV powerful—the big screen, the co-viewing, the emotional impact—while adding targeting, measurement, and optimization capabilities.
2. Your Linear TV Audience Now Watches on Both Screens (And You Need Both)
The Reality: Your Audience Didn’t Leave TV—They Upgraded It
The affluent audiences you want haven’t abandoned television. They’ve simply upgraded their infrastructure.
Traditional Linear TV Audience in 2026:
- 190 million households (stable, not declining significantly)
- Strong rural reach (48% rural audience)
- Mass market appeal
- Broad demographic coverage
- Still essential for reach and mass awareness
Connected TV Audience in 2026:
- 250 million users across 80+ million households (29% YoY growth)
- Growing affluent segments:
- Rich (₹30L-₹2Cr+): 77M viewers, +13% annual growth
- Strivers (₹15-30L): 82M viewers, +8% annual growth
- Seekers (₹5-15L): 459M viewers, +6% annual growth
- 30% megacity concentration (2X higher than LTV)
- Watching on HD/4K TVs, premium smartphones
- Essential for precision and affluent targeting
Same Sports, Same Screen, Enhanced Capabilities
Here’s what didn’t change:
- ✅ 50-inch living room TV experience
- ✅ Family co-viewing during matches
- ✅ Primetime 7-10 PM peak viewing
- ✅ Emotional investment in games
- ✅ High ad completion rates
Here’s what your brand NOW GETS with CTV:
- 📊 Target by income, age, city, language
- 📊 Know exactly who watched your ad
- 📊 Measure brand lift, not just TRPs
- 📊 Pay per actual impression, not estimated reach
- 📊 A/B test different creatives in real-time
- 📊 Retarget viewers on mobile after the match
The Smart Play: Don’t Choose—Use Both
The Migration Numbers You Need to See:
JioHotstar CTV (Sports Content):
- 55+ million CTV viewers in 2024
- Growing 35%+ year-on-year
- Same Star Sports content you buy on Linear TV
- Available on every Smart TV brand
YouTube CTV (Sports Content):
- 60+ million viewers
- 2.5 hours average daily viewing
- Peak 7-10 PM (same as Linear TV primetime)
- Available on every streaming device
What This Means for Your 2026 Budget:
If you’re putting 100% of your sports budget into Linear TV in 2026, you’re missing 80+ million affluent, growing households who’ve upgraded to Smart TVs. They’re watching the same cricket matches—you’re just not reaching them with targeted messaging anymore.
The solution isn’t to abandon Linear TV. It’s to complement it with CTV.
3. Stop Paying for Wastage—Target Precisely While Keeping Your TV Presence
The Linear TV Reality You’ve Accepted (Because You Had No Choice)
Scenario: You’re a premium car brand targeting households with ₹25L+ annual income in top 8 metros.
What You Buy on Linear TV:
- IPL match slot: ₹15-25 lakhs for a 10-sec spot
- Estimated reach: 10 million households
- Actual target audience in that reach: Maybe 1-2 million households
- Wastage: 80-90% of your budget reaches people who will never buy your car
You pay for everyone. You get TRP estimates. You hope for the best.
We’re not saying this is wrong. Linear TV’s broad reach builds mass awareness and maintains category presence. But what if you could ADD a layer of precision?
The CTV Addition: Zero Wastage for Your Core Target
Same scenario, now with hybrid LTV + CTV strategy:
Linear TV (₹60-70L): Broad reach, mass awareness, maintain presence
CTV (₹30-40L): Target ONLY ₹25L+ income, top 8 metros, 35-55 age
- Actual delivered impressions: 1.5 million households (your exact target)
- Wastage: Zero. You paid only for your audience.
- Bonus: You know exactly how many watched, for how long, and what they did after
Real Example: Samsung India (2024)
Campaign: Galaxy smartphone launch during IPL
Strategy: Linear TV for broad awareness + YouTube CTV for precision targeting
CTV Targeting: Tech-savvy, high-income urban households
Results:
✅ 80% reach in target CTV households in 30 days
✅ 2X ad recall vs Linear TV benchmarks
✅ 5X brand awareness lift in target segments
Key Insight: Samsung didn’t abandon TV—they enhanced it with CTV precision.
The Math That Should Make You Add CTV
| Metric | Your Current LTV-Only Buy | Hybrid LTV + CTV Approach | Advantage |
| Total Investment | ₹10 Crore (100% LTV) | ₹6 Cr LTV + ₹4 Cr CTV | Better allocation |
| Broad Reach | 50M impressions | 35M impressions (LTV) | Maintain mass presence |
| Targeted Reach | ~10M (estimated) | 10M guaranteed (CTV) | Zero wastage |
| Wastage | 80% wrong audience | 40% overall wastage | 50% efficiency gain |
| Measurement | TRP estimates | TRP + actual delivery | 100% CTV accuracy |
| Demographic Guarantee | None | Full (CTV portion) | Zero risk on 40% budget |
| Optimization | Not possible | Real-time (CTV) | Mid-campaign adjustments |
Targeting Capabilities Linear TV Can’t Give You (But CTV Can)
Income-Based Targeting:
- Luxury brands: Target only ₹50L+ households
- Mass premium: Target ₹15-30L strivers
- Value brands: Target ₹5-15L seekers
Geographic Precision:
- Target only Delhi NCR for regional launches
- Exclude Tier 3+ cities for premium products
- Target Tamil Nadu specifically for regional brands (during CSK matches)
Behavioral Targeting:
- Target cricket enthusiasts who watch 10+ matches/season
- Target previous campaign viewers for retargeting
- Target households that watched competitor ads
Device-Based Targeting:
- Target only 55+ inch TV owners (ultra-premium)
- Target Fire TV Stick users (tech-savvy)
- Different creatives for different devices
Daypart Flexibility:
- Target afternoon matches for youth/WFH professionals
- Target evening matches for family audiences
- Different creatives for different time slots
You’ve been accepting 80% wastage on Linear TV because you had no choice. In 2026, you can keep your LTV presence AND add CTV precision.
4. Finally Measure What You’re Actually Buying (Not Just TRPs)
What Linear TV Gives You Today (And Why It’s Still Valuable)
Linear TV Measurement:
- TRP reports based on sample panel data
- Reach estimates across broad demographics
- Frequency guesstimates
- Post-campaign reports weeks later
- Proven track record of driving business outcomes
Why This Still Matters: Linear TV’s broad reach builds foundational awareness. You may not know the exact viewer demographics, but you know your brand is being seen by millions during the biggest cultural moments.
What Linear TV Doesn’t Tell You:
- Who exactly watched your ad
- Did they watch it fully or change channels?
- Did it change their brand perception?
- Did they search for your brand after?
- Did they visit your website/store?
- Which creative variant performed better?
What CTV Adds: The Measurement You’ve Always Wanted
Real-Time Delivery Metrics:
- ✅ Exact impressions delivered (not estimates)
- ✅ Completion rates (how many watched full ad)
- ✅ View-through rates
- ✅ Time of day performance
- ✅ Device-level data
- ✅ Geographic breakdown
Brand Impact Measurement:
- ✅ Brand awareness lift (exposed vs control group)
- ✅ Ad recall improvement
- ✅ Message association
- ✅ Purchase intent change
- ✅ Brand favorability shift
Business Outcome Attribution:
- ✅ Search lift (branded keyword searches post-ad)
- ✅ Website traffic increase
- ✅ Store visit attribution (with location data)
- ✅ App downloads
- ✅ Lead form submissions
- ✅ E-commerce conversions
Creative Optimization:
- ✅ A/B test different creatives in real-time
- ✅ Compare 10-sec vs 20-sec performance
- ✅ Test different messaging angles
- ✅ Optimize mid-campaign based on data
Real Measurement: 2024 Case Study Results
LT Finance – IPL 2024 CTV Campaign (Kantar Brand Lift Study)
- Campaign Duration: May 3-26, 2024
- Target: Males 30+
- Platform: JioCinema CTV
- Creative: Three 10-sec and two 20-sec videos; Two static creatives
Results:
- +20% Online Ad Awareness (32% → 52%) in the age group 30-44 years
- The campaign has aided in driving Ad Receptivity in the younger age group and Brand Perception ‘Has digitized process to avail home loan’ among the older age group.
Agilus Diagnostics – IPL 2024 CTV Campaign (Kantar Brand Lift Study)
- Campaign Duration: March 22 – May 26, 2024
- Target: Males and Females, 30-55 years
- Devices: Handheld Devices + Connected TV
- Creative: Action Replay logo placement (passive branding)
Results:
- ✅ +13% Aided Awareness
- ✅ +11% Brand Favorability
- ✅ +13% Purchase Intent (especially among women)
The Dashboard You’ve Always Wanted
CTV gives you a real-time campaign dashboard showing:
- Impressions delivered vs bought (hourly updates)
- Completion rates by match, time slot, device
- CPM efficiency vs benchmarks
- Audience demographics actually reached
- Engagement metrics
- Attribution to business KPIs
You can literally pause, optimize, and reallocate budgets DURING IPL 2026—something impossible on Linear TV.
Why This Matters for Your 2026 Budget Approval
Linear TV-Only Pitch to CFO:
“We’ll spend ₹10 crore on IPL. Based on historical TRPs, we estimate 50M reach. Based on past performance, we expect this drives brand awareness and sales.”
Hybrid LTV + CTV Pitch to CFO:
“We’ll spend ₹6 crore on IPL Linear TV for mass reach (maintaining our proven presence), plus ₹4 crore on CTV targeting our exact customer segments. The LTV portion maintains broad awareness. The CTV portion delivers 10M verified impressions to ₹25L+ households, with guaranteed 14-40% brand awareness lift, 12% purchase intent increase, and full attribution to website traffic and store visits. We’ll optimize the CTV portion weekly based on real-time data.”
Which pitch gets approved in 2026?
5. 2026 Has the Biggest Sports Calendar in History—Perfect for Hybrid Strategy
Why 2026 Is Different (And Why It’s the Perfect Year to Add CTV)
You’ve bought IPL inventory every year. You know the drill. But 2026 is not a normal year.
The 2026 Sports Calendar: 5 Consecutive Months of Premium Inventory
November 2025- January 2026 Warm-Up Phase
- South Africa in India (3 ODIs & 5 T20s starting Nov 30)
- New Zealand in India (3 ODIs & 5 T20s starting Jan 11)
- Perfect testing ground for CTV before major tournaments
- Build retargeting audiences early
February 7 – March 8, 2026: T20 World Cup (India + Sri Lanka)
- 20 teams, 55+ matches, 30 days
- 540 million projected reach (33% higher than 2024 World Cup)
- India hosting = national event status
- 5 Indian venues (Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai)
- Final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Why This Is Historic:
- “A Billion Hearts Set to Tune In” – Expected to be the most-watched cricket event in history
- Peak family co-viewing during India matches
- Emotional peaks: national pride, underdog stories, global rivalries
- Available on Star Sports (Linear) AND JioHotstar (CTV)
March 14/15 – May 25/31, 2026: IPL 2026
- 74-84 matches across 10 teams
- 60+ continuous days of premium content
- Double headers most days (3:30 PM + 7:30 PM)
- Playoffs and finals in peak May
- 150+ million concurrent viewers during playoff matches
What This Means: From February to May 2026, you have 5 consecutive months of the highest-engagement content in Indian television. This doesn’t happen often.
This is the year to test your hybrid strategy.
The Smart Play: Hybrid LTV + CTV Strategy for 2026
DON’T abandon Linear TV in 2026. Complement it with CTV.
Recommended 2026 Sports Budget Splits:
Option 1: Conservative Shift (70% LTV / 30% CTV)
- Linear TV: Broad reach, mass awareness, maintain presence
- CTV: Targeted premium segments, measurement, learning
- Best for: FMCG, telecom, mass brands maintaining broad presence
Option 2: Balanced Approach (60% LTV / 40% CTV)
- Linear TV: Core presence, rural + mass reach
- CTV: Urban affluent, full measurement, precision
- Best for: Auto, BFSI, consumer durables, electronics
Option 3: Aggressive Shift (40% LTV / 60% CTV)
- Linear TV: Selective high-impact spots, key matches
- CTV: Primary investment, maximize efficiency
- Best for: Luxury, tech, premium services, D2C brands
Phase-Wise Hybrid Strategy for 2026
Phase 1: November-December 2025 (Bilateral Series)
- LTV: Minimal spend, maintain presence
- CTV: Test campaigns, build audiences, optimize creative
- Goal: Learn what works before big tournaments
Phase 2: February-March 2026 (T20 World Cup)
- LTV: Focus on India matches (guaranteed massive viewership)
- CTV: Targeted campaigns on non-India matches, build consideration
- Goal: Use World Cup to prime audiences for IPL
Phase 3: March-May 2026 (IPL – League Stage)
- LTV: Consistent presence across matches
- CTV: Targeted daily, optimize based on performance
- Goal: Sequential storytelling across 6+ weeks
Phase 4: May 2026 (IPL Playoffs + Final)
- LTV: Maximum investment in finals (biggest audience)
- CTV: Conversion-focused campaigns, retarget all previous viewers
- Goal: Push for business outcomes
CTV’s Unique Advantages During 2026 Sports
T20 World Cup CTV Opportunities:
- City-level activation (Delhi fans vs Mumbai fans)
- Moment marketing during last-over thrillers
- Interactive QR campaigns during strategic timeouts
- Multi-language campaigns (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali)
- Sequential storytelling: League → Knockouts → Finals
IPL 2026 CTV Opportunities:
- Shoppable QR Ads during strategic timeouts (viewers scan while watching)
- Pause Ads when viewers hit pause for snack/bathroom breaks
- Interactive Polls (“Who will win?” predictions with brand integration)
- Contextual Advertising (Food delivery ads during dinner-time 7:30 PM matches)
- Sequential Storytelling across 60+ days of league stage
- Regional Targeting (Tamil ads for CSK matches, Bengali for KKR)
The Inventory Reality Check
Linear TV Booking Timeline:
- India matches in T20 WC: Book by December 2025
- IPL Finals weekend: Book by January 2026
- Premium slots: 60-70% sold by November 2025
CTV Booking Timeline:
- Similar demand for premium placements
- Added advantage: Can optimize and reallocate mid-campaign
- Early booking still gets better rates
⚠️ Warning: If you wait until February 2026 to decide, the best inventory on BOTH Linear TV and CTV will be gone.
6. Stop Guessing, Start Proving: Real Brand Lift From 2024 Campaigns
Actual CTV Results from IPL 2023-2024
Spinny (Used Cars) – IPL 2023
- Target: Males 25-45, considering car purchase
- Platform: JioCinema CTV
- Creative: Multiple Video Creatives
Measured Results:
- ✅ +9% Aided Awareness
- ✅ +5% Online Ad Awareness
- ✅ +12 Brand Favorability
- ✅ +12 Purchase Intent
Zoomcar (Self-Drive Rentals) – IPL 2023
- Campaign: “Never Stop Living” video series
- Target: Males and females 18-45, urban
- Platform: JioCinema CTV
Measured Results:
- ✅ +20% Brand Awareness
- ✅ +21% Online Ad Awareness
- ✅ +26% Brand Favorability
- ✅ +24% Purchase Intent
- ✅ +22% Message Association
What Smart Advertisers Are Doing in 2026
Advertiser Continuity Data (JioStar Platforms):
Brands consistently advertising across Linear TV + CTV during sports:
- Amul: Present across World Cups, IPL, bilateral series (both LTV + CTV)
- Dream11: Multi-platform strategy across all tournaments
- PolicyBazaar: Balanced LTV + CTV investment
- Maruti Suzuki: Premium placements on both
- ICICI Bank: Consistent presence across platforms
- Atomberg, Kent: Multi-year, multi-platform partnerships
What This Tells You: Smart advertisers aren’t choosing “LTV OR CTV” — they’re doing BOTH, and they’re not talking about it publicly.
The First-Mover Advantage Window Is Closing
Q4 2024 Status:
- Early adopter brands testing CTV during bilateral series
- Premium inventory for T20 WC + IPL already 40-50% booked
- Best CTV placement rates still available (for now)
- Less competition for targeted segments
Q1 2026 Reality:
- Rush of late-mover brands shifting budgets
- Premium inventory 80-90% sold
- Rate increases due to demand
- More competition for same audience segments
- Limited creative testing time before tournaments
The Competitive Scenarios
Scenario 1: You Move First (Book by December 2025)
- ✅ Lock best CTV placements for India matches
- ✅ Test and optimize creative during bilateral series
- ✅ Build retargeting audiences early
- ✅ Better negotiated rates
- ✅ Your brand dominates while competitors scramble
Scenario 2: You Wait (Book in February 2026)
- ❌ Competitors already dominating your target segments
- ❌ Premium slots gone (India matches, finals)
- ❌ Paying 20-30% premium rates
- ❌ No time for creative testing
- ❌ Your brand playing catch-up all season
Category-Specific Competitive Pressure
Auto Sector:
- Maruti, Hyundai, Tata already testing CTV
- Premium auto brands can’t afford to cede affluent audience
- If you’re not on CTV in 2026, your competitor will be
BFSI:
- ICICI, HDFC, PolicyBazaar have 2-3 year head start
- Credit cards, loans, insurance = high LTV products need precision targeting
- CTV’s income-based targeting is made for BFSI
FMCG:
- HUL, ITC, Mondelez testing CTV for premium SKUs
- Mass brands use LTV, premium lines need CTV
- Segmented approach: LTV for mass, CTV for premium
E-commerce/Tech:
- Flipkart, Amazon, PhonePe already multi-platform
- App-based businesses benefit from CTV → mobile retargeting
- Digital-first brands shifting TV budgets to CTV fast
The Bottom Line: Linear TV + CTV = Complete Coverage in 2026
The Perfect Storm for Hybrid Strategy
The convergence of:
- ✅ 80+ million Smart TV households (29% YoY growth)
- ✅ 540M projected T20 World Cup reach (Feb-Mar 2026)
- ✅ 74-84 IPL matches (Mar-May 2026)
- ✅ 5 consecutive months of premium sports content
- ✅ Proven 14-43% awareness lifts from 2024 CTV case studies
- ✅ Growing affluent audiences (+13% Rich, +8% Strivers on CTV)
- ✅ Same big-screen experience (50+ inch TVs, co-viewing, emotional impact)
- ✅ Zero-wastage targeting on CTV while maintaining LTV broad reach
Why Choose The Media Ant for Your 2026 Sports Strategy
You’ve read the strategy. You understand the opportunity. Now let me tell you about the execution partner that makes it real.
We’ve been in the sports trenches for 7+ years. We’re not theorizing about CTV—we’ve actually delivered the case studies you just read. L&T Finance’s +20% awareness lift? Spinny’s +12% purchase intent? Agilus Diagnostics’ +13% purchase intent among women? All our campaigns.
What You Actually Get:
✅ Real-time dashboards showing exactly what you’re buying (not TRP estimates)
✅ Relationships with Star Sports, JioHotstar, YouTube CTV—the inventory you need
✅ Category expertise across Finance (₹9 Cr), Auto (₹8 Cr), Healthcare (₹6 Cr), Tech (₹3 Cr)
✅ Competitive rates that maximize every rupee
The Real Advantage:
We’ve worked with brands like CREX, Novo Nordisk, ZeroB, Kisht Finance, and dozens more across both Linear TV and CTV. We know what works because we’ve tested it during IPL 2023, 2024, Asia Cup, and bilateral series.
When you’re allocating ₹6-10 crores across the biggest sports calendar in Indian history, you need a partner who’s done this before. Not someone learning on your budget.
The February-May 2026 window is closing. The inventory is booking fast. The question isn’t whether to add CTV—it’s whether you’ll secure the best placements before your competitors do.
Want to know more about sports advertising with The Media Ant? Visit The Media Ant Website or write to ad@themediaant.com or fill this form.
