The Indian Premier League (IPL) garnered a staggering viewership of 35 crore during its initial 10 matches of the 2024 season, surpassing previous editions of the tournament, including those held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data released by Disney Star on Thursday, the overall watch-time for the IPL has surged to 8028 crore minutes, marking a 20 percent increase compared to last year.
“We are overwhelmed with the record-breaking viewing figures for TATA IPL 2024. Disney Star has started the 17th season from where it left off last year, doubling down on fan-centred initiatives that seek to drive passion and fandom for the tournament,” Sanjog Gupta, Head of Disney Star (Sports) said in a communique.
The rise of IPL’s viewership
Disney Star, the official broadcaster of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is airing the tournament across 14 feeds in 10 languages, including a special feed in Indian Sign Language for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Visually Impaired fans.
Notably, the IPL 2024 kick-started with blockbuster viewership numbers, with 16.8 crore viewers tuning in to watch the season’s first game between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 22.
Further, Disney Star reported a record-breaking watch time of 1276 crore minutes on the opening day, marking the highest ever for the first day of any IPL season. These watch-time minutes reflect the cumulative viewing duration of each viewer.