Uday Shankar, Vice Chairman of Viacom18, highlighted JioCinema’s ambitious goal of reaching 600 million viewers for IPL across Digital and CTV platforms. He emphasized the importance of inclusive advertising practices to drive monetization, particularly by engaging smaller advertisers, aiming to create a more inclusive advertising ecosystem. Shankar, known for his strategic disruptions in media, stressed the need for a paradigm shift in advertising, advocating for the inclusion of smaller advertisers to boost revenue.
The IPL streaming landscape saw a major disruption with JioCinema offering free, high-quality 4K streaming in 2023 and continuing this trend in 2024 with several matches already streamed. Shankar expressed confidence that the IPL will be the most watched event in a single country globally, citing increased viewership and growing mobile and connected TV usage in India.
Shankar’s insights reflect Viacom18’s strategic approach to leverage India’s vast market potential while navigating its complex media landscape. He emphasized the importance of catering to diverse segments of Indian society and their preferences.
Regarding the profitability of live sports streaming, Shankar acknowledged the challenges posed by rights agreements and emphasized strategic planning to maximize profitability while fulfilling contractual obligations.
Shankar mentioned that JioCinema is well-capitalized and has potential for further fundraising or mergers and acquisitions. Viacom18 remains committed to unlocking India’s market potential and currently has no plans for international expansion.
As JioCinema continues to tease new plans on its IPL stream, anticipation grows for potential developments on the largest OTT platform in the country. If you’re a brand or business looking to advertise on JioCinema, consider reaching out to The Media Ant for strategic advertising opportunities and maximizing your reach to the platform’s vast audience.
Why JioCinema Changed the IPL Advertising Landscape
The introduction of free IPL streaming on JioCinema fundamentally changed how millions of Indians consumed live cricket. By removing subscription barriers, the platform significantly expanded its reach across mobile devices, Connected TVs (CTV), tablets, and desktops.
For advertisers, this created an unprecedented opportunity to engage audiences at scale while benefiting from digital advertising capabilities such as precise audience targeting, real-time reporting, and measurable campaign performance.
Unlike traditional television, where advertisers largely depend on estimated audience metrics, JioCinema’s digital ecosystem enables brands to understand campaign reach, impressions, completion rates, and audience engagement with much greater accuracy.
Want to understand how Connected TV advertising works? Read our complete Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Guide.
Why IPL Has Become India’s Biggest Digital Advertising Event
The Indian Premier League is no longer just a cricket tournament—it is one of India’s largest digital entertainment properties. Every season attracts hundreds of millions of viewers across smartphones, Smart TVs, laptops, and tablets.
For advertisers, IPL Ads offers several unique advantages:
- Massive nationwide reach
- Highly engaged audiences
- Premium sports content
- Family co-viewing on Smart TVs
- Long viewing durations
- Strong regional engagement
- Opportunities for sequential storytelling throughout the tournament
As streaming audiences continue to grow, digital platforms have become an essential part of every IPL advertising strategy.
Connected TV Is Becoming the Preferred Screen for IPL Viewing
One of the biggest shifts in recent IPL seasons has been the rapid growth of Connected TV viewing.
Instead of watching matches exclusively on smartphones, millions of households now stream IPL matches on Smart TVs using broadband connections. This creates a premium viewing environment similar to traditional television while offering all the advantages of digital advertising.
Brands can now reach audiences through:
- Smart TVs
- Android TV
- Google TV
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- OTT-enabled televisions
This combination of premium screens and data-driven advertising has positioned Connected TV ads as one of the fastest-growing advertising channels in India.
Why Brands Are Investing More in IPL Digital Advertising
Several factors are driving increased advertiser investment in digital IPL campaigns.
| Advantage | Business Benefit |
|---|---|
| Massive Reach | Millions of viewers across India |
| Audience Targeting | Reach specific demographics and locations |
| Smart TV Growth | Premium household exposure |
| Interactive Ads | QR codes and engagement features |
| Real-time Analytics | Campaign optimization |
| Better Measurement | Verified impressions and completion rates |
| Cross-device Targeting | Reach users beyond television |
These capabilities make digital IPL advertising highly attractive for brands looking to maximize both reach and return on investment.
Explore our CTV Advertising Solutions for Smart TV campaigns.
Why Brands Are Investing More in IPL Digital Advertising
Several factors are driving increased advertiser investment in digital IPL campaigns.
| Advantage | Business Benefit |
|---|---|
| Massive Reach | Millions of viewers across India |
| Audience Targeting | Reach specific demographics and locations |
| Smart TV Growth | Premium household exposure |
| Interactive Ads | QR codes and engagement features |
| Real-time Analytics | Campaign optimization |
| Better Measurement | Verified impressions and completion rates |
| Cross-device Targeting | Reach users beyond television |
These capabilities make digital IPL advertising highly attractive for brands looking to maximize both reach and return on investment.
How Advertisers Can Maximize IPL Campaign Performance
Successful IPL campaigns require more than purchasing advertising inventory. Brands should focus on combining creative storytelling with data-driven planning.
Best practices include:
- Define campaign objectives before media buying.
- Use a mix of mobile, Connected TV, and digital platforms.
- Optimize creatives for large-screen viewing.
- Target audiences based on geography, demographics, and interests.
- Monitor campaign performance throughout the tournament.
- Retarget viewers across multiple devices after match exposure.
A balanced strategy helps brands improve awareness, engagement, and business outcomes during the IPL season.
Why Connected TV Will Continue to Grow During Future IPL Seasons
As Smart TV ownership continues to increase across India, Connected TV is expected to become an even larger contributor to IPL viewership.
Advertisers are increasingly allocating budgets toward CTV because it combines the emotional impact of television with the measurement capabilities of digital advertising.
Future IPL campaigns are likely to include greater personalization, interactive experiences, household-level targeting, and cross-screen campaign optimization.
Brands that begin investing in Connected TV today will be better positioned to capitalize on the continued evolution of India’s sports advertising ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is JioCinema important for IPL advertisers?
JioCinema has significantly expanded digital IPL viewership by offering high-quality streaming across mobile devices and Smart TVs, creating new opportunities for advertisers to reach large audiences with measurable campaigns.
Can brands advertise only on Connected TV during IPL?
Yes. Brands can specifically target Connected TV audiences watching IPL on Smart TVs, allowing them to reach premium households while benefiting from digital measurement and audience targeting.
What are the benefits of advertising during IPL?
IPL advertising provides massive national reach, premium sports content, strong audience engagement, high video completion rates, and opportunities to build long-term brand awareness.
Which industries benefit most from IPL advertising?
Automobile, BFSI, FMCG, healthcare, education, e-commerce, travel, consumer electronics, gaming, and food delivery brands all benefit from IPL’s diverse audience base.
How can brands advertise on Connected TV during IPL?
Brands can work with advertising partners like The Media Ant to plan campaigns across premium Connected TV inventory, OTT platforms, and live sports streaming services with audience targeting and campaign measurement.
