Game On: IPL 2025 ad rates see 15% jump from last season

Advertisers looking to reach audiences during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season can expect to pay a premium. As per sources close to development, prices across segments have gone up 10-15% compared to IPL 17 in 2024.

The floating rate for TV spots (SD + HD) is Rs 18 lakh for a 10-second slot. Digital platforms also come with their own price tags, with IPL mobile ads priced at Rs 340 CPM and Connected TV ads at Rs 650 CPM. For those seeking more targeted reach, Connected TV spot buys are available at Rs 7.5 lakh per 10 seconds.

In the 2024 season, the combined rate for TV spots (SD + HD) had increased marginally to Rs 16.4 lakh approximately from Rs 16 lakh in 2023. CTV spot rates on JioCinema, on the other hand, were approximately Rs 6.5 lakh per 10 seconds.

But this year looks different.

The 2025 edition of IPL is the first major property to be sold to advertisers post the Viacom18 and Star India merger.

While brands have begun planning for IPL 2025, there remains uncertainty about the digital ecosystem — specifically, whether there will be one app or two. However, sources suggest that the merged entity is planning to operate two distinct apps: a premium service, likely Disney+ Hotstar, and a freemium model under JioCinema.

This dual-platform strategy, the sources say, aims to segment content offerings, catering separately to high-end and mass-market viewers while providing advertisers with more precise and targeted audience segments.

Back in 2022, the media rights for IPL were strategically divided for the 2023-2027 cycle. Television rights were secured by Star India, while digital streaming rights went to Viacom18.

Cut to 2025. The merger has brought together the resources, expertise, and reach of the two giants, creating a powerhouse capable of redefining the way advertisers engage with audiences during one of the country's most-watched sporting events.

“This consolidation is expected to enhance the value proposition for advertisers by offering a seamless blend of traditional TV, mobile, and connected TV platforms. Advertisers are likely to see IPL 2025 as a unique opportunity to leverage the enhanced distribution network and innovative advertising solutions resulting from the merger,” said a media planner.

Experts also suggested that the initial rates will likely increase further once the league commences.

“It’s a game of concurrence. This will be the revenue generator with CTV spot buys during the league,” added another planner.

IPL 2024 season witnessed approximately 10% growth in reach on the Star Sports Network and over 50% growth in reach on JioCinema compared to 2023.

Planners are also banking on ad dollars from brands that can utilise budgets from two financial years, given the league's mid-March start.

IPL has only seen incremental growth in terms of brand and advertiser interest. According to TAM Sports’ data, an analysis of commercial advertising on TV during IPL 17 shows a significant increase in ad volume compared to IPL 16.

There was a rise of 40% in the number of advertised categories, 26% in the number of advertisers and 21% in the number of brands.

Pan Masala topped the charts for TV ad seconds at 11%, followed closely by a range of Food Products and Ecom-Gaming (both at 10%). Perfumes/Deodorants and Securities/Sharebroking Organizations rounded out the top 5 categories with 6% and 5% of ad seconds respectively.

Parle Products emerged as the biggest advertiser, capturing 10% of ad space. They were followed by Sporta Technologies (7%), Vishnu Packaging (7%), Vini Product (5%), and K P Pan Foods (4%). Brand-wise, Parle Food Products again secured the top spot (10%), followed by Dream11.com (7%), Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala (7%), Fogg (4%), and Kamla Pasand Silver Coated Elaichi (4%).

The data suggests a strong presence of established consumer brands alongside the growing influence of online gaming platforms in the IPL advertising landscape. According to experts, these broad trends will continue to be the same.