IPL 2025 on JioStar: ‘Substantial free access before paywall' says Ishan Chatterjee

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a marquee event for advertisers, attracting brands eager to capitalise on its massive audience. With the merger of Jio and Star, IPL has evolved into an even bigger force in the advertising ecosystem.

This season of the tournament has secured some of the major sponsors. According to sources, apart from Campa and My11Circle, about which exchange4media already reported, the State Bank of India (SBI) and Amul, have come on board.

To better understand the advertising dynamics post-merger, the innovative engagement strategies, and how IPL is positioning itself against major digital platforms, exchange4media spoke with Ishan Chatterjee, Chief Business Officer, Sports Revenue, SMB & Creator, JioStar as he sheds light on key initiatives, advertising opportunities, and market trends shaping IPL 2025.

How is IPL promising a higher engagement compared to mega tech platforms like Google and Meta? Also, could you explain the brain mapping neuroscience study and JioStar's closed-door seminars with advertisers across cities?

Some of our biggest advertising partners have very sophisticated models that suggest exactly what return they are getting on their ad spend on IPL. But that may not be true for all types of advertisers.

One of the big questions we were trying to answer was whether the engagement level of a viewer watching IPL or live sports, in general, is equal to what they experience on user-generated content (UGC) or other OTT content. The neuron study was bespoke, where we mapped eye movements using sophisticated technology to measure engagement levels when someone watches an ad in the middle of a live sports event versus an ad on UGC or other platforms. The study revealed that engagement levels on live sports were significantly higher than on other content genres and OTT platforms.

In terms of our meetings with advertisers, as you know, leading up to IPL, we regularly engage with them. However, two specific outreach programs stand out. First, our recent partnership with Nielsen on measurement is particularly relevant for FMCG advertisers. This collaboration provides third-party validation for our campaign reach metrics, ensuring it's not just our data being reported. Nielsen now has a dedicated data pipeline with us, applying their audience measurement expertise. So, for a major advertiser, Nielsen now validates the reach and campaign metrics, reinforcing credibility.  

What initiatives are you taking to reach out to advertisers, especially small-scale ones?

TATA IPL 2025 on JioHotstar is the "Year of the Advertisers," providing solutions and opportunities designed for every brand. With a strong focus on driving revenue from the SMB segment, JioHotstar has introduced an SMB Outreach program across 10 cities. The initiative aims to engage small and medium businesses, demonstrating how the power of TATA IPL can fuel their growth—not just for large corporations, but also for SMBs. There's something for every brand, regardless of their budget.

JioHotstar’s offerings include affordable packages, targeted advertising options, a range of ad formats, and creative support, all of which have been met with a positive response from the SMB community. The program has been successfully attracting a new wave of advertisers, helping them grow their businesses through the TATA IPL platform.

One key aspect we highlight is location-based targeting. If you're a real estate developer or auto dealership, and you want to focus your advertising on a specific geographical area, we now offer high-precision targeting capabilities. This is crucial for SMBs that need localised marketing.

Additionally, we want to dispel the myth that advertising on IPL requires a massive budget. Through a combination of targeting strategies and cost-effective ad assets, we demonstrate that IPL advertising can be accessible for smaller businesses. With our on-ground activation and these innovations, we expect record SMB participation in IPL 2025.  

How have IPL ad rates changed post the JioStar merger? Are advertisers seeing any pricing advantages across TV and digital?

Pricing is influenced by the demand dynamics in the industry. We have already launched our pricing models for India-England matches and the Champions Trophy, and based on the positive reception, we are confident this will carry over into IPL 2025.

The pricing is live, performing well, and reinforcing our bullish outlook for IPL 2025.  

What are your sales revenue targets for IPL 2025? How does it compare with last year?

I don’t have specific numbers to share. However, IPL 2024 set records in viewership and engagement. On TV, we reached 525 million viewers, while digital handheld (mobile devices) alone hit 425 million viewers. Based on the tremendous engagement from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the India-England series, and now the Champions Trophy, we are confident of surpassing 1 billion viewers for IPL 2025.

Naturally, we expect this increased viewership to translate into higher revenue. While I have internal targets, we are still three weeks away from IPL, so we will have to see how things unfold. However, advertiser demand looks very strong, and we remain optimistic.  

How many sponsors have come on board for IPL 2025? What categories are leading?

I don’t have specific brand names to share, as brands usually prefer to announce their IPL association themselves. However, we have segmented the market into 40 categories this year.

A few notable trends stand out. First, there’s a rise in premiumisation—advertisers now can target CTV, iOS devices, Android devices over Rs 50,000, and HDTV users. This enables them to reach premium audiences more effectively.

Additionally, for FMCG brands, female-centric targeting has become critical. Last year, IPL delivered 200 million female viewers on TV alone, a number we expect to grow further this season.

Some of the most active categories include beverages (due to the early summer), Air Conditioners, Fans, Paints, BFSI, FinTech, Mobile Phone Handsets and Fantasy Gaming

Increasingly, brands are aligning their entire marketing calendars around IPL, recognising its dominance in India’s advertising landscape.

Will IPL streaming on JioStar remain free, or will it move behind a paywall?

Our goal is to ensure users can sample a significant portion of content before hitting any paywall. We haven’t set a fixed number yet, as we’re still experimenting, but the free access will be substantial—enough for users to watch an entire game.

This approach helps us strike a balance—giving users enough time to experience our platform while also delivering on advertiser objectives. A prime example of this model’s success is the India-Pakistan match, which recorded the highest-ever digital viewership. This result gives us confidence that our strategy will carry forward into IPL 2025.