JioStar, the result of the merger between Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Company’s Indian media assets, is aiming to make IPL 2025 the most-watched season ever. The network is targeting 1 billion viewers across TV and digital platforms. In 2024, IPL attracted 525 million viewers on linear TV and 425 million on mobile devices.
Ishan Chatterjee, Chief Business Officer, Sports Revenue, SMB & Creator at JioStar, said, “Despite macroeconomic concerns, advertisers prioritise IPL because they know it delivers results. Our conversations indicate strong advertiser confidence. With three weeks to go, the momentum suggests IPL 2025 will be a major focus for brands.” And added, “Our goal is to democratise access to great content for as many users as possible. We offer substantial free watch time, including live sports, allowing users to sample a wide range of content. Only after this free watch time is exhausted are users prompted to subscribe for an uninterrupted experience. This model ensures broad access while maintaining flexibility.”
Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa has secured co-presenting rights for IPL 2025. Other key sponsors include My11 Circle, SBI, Amul, Birla Opus Paints, Jaquar, Thums Up, and AMFI. JioStar has declared this season as the ‘year of the advertiser,’ emphasizing three key focus areas: unmatched reach and scale, innovative targeting, and advanced measurement.
JioStar is enhancing its advertising capabilities by offering over 100 advanced targeting options. Brands can target audiences based on demographics, language, geography, first-party data, and interests. Additionally, advertisers can now reach affluent viewers across multiple platforms, including connected TV (CTV), iOS, Android, and HDTV.
JioStar has also strengthened location targeting, allowing industries like real estate and automotive to concentrate advertisements on television. A major step forward is the network’s partnership with Nielsen, which provides real-time third-party campaign validation, ensuring transparency and more informed decision-making.
“It’s the first time such a solution has been implemented for live sports in India.”
One of JioStar’s key objectives this year is to make IPL advertising accessible to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The company is hosting roadshows in 10 cities, with each event attracting between 1,000 and 2,000 advertisers. These sessions showcase IPL’s vast reach, diverse ad formats, and cost-effective advertising solutions.
Chatterjee addresses a common misconception among smaller advertisers, said, “A key challenge we’ve heard from SMBs is the perception that cricket advertising is too expensive—that IPL only makes sense with a massive budget. Our roadshows are designed to dispel this myth. We’re showing SMBs how they can significantly lower their investment while still achieving meaningful impact.”
To further support SMBs, JioStar has introduced a self-serve ad platform. This tool simplifies the advertising process, allowing businesses to set objectives, choose ad formats, and apply precise targeting without external assistance.
JioStar is enhancing the IPL viewing experience with several technological innovations. New features include scannable action replays, where viewers can instantly visit a website, and Star Deals, which allow real-time engagement with anchors and direct purchases through QR codes.
On the digital side, JioHotstar is merging the best features of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar into a unified platform. Innovations such as Hero Cam, Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan, and MaxView vertical cricket viewing will now be integrated into a single experience.
Ishan Chatterjee, Chief Business Officer, Sports Revenue, SMB & Creator at JioStar, said, “This, in turn, will fuel business growth on the revenue side—starting with the viewer.”
Unlike the previous two seasons, IPL 2025 will not be entirely free to stream on JioHotstar. However, it will not be placed completely behind a paywall either. JioHotstar will offer substantial free watch time before prompting users to subscribe for uninterrupted access.
JioStar successfully tested this model during the Champions Trophy, with the February 23 India-Pakistan match recording the highest digital viewership for any India-Pakistan game to date.
Despite concerns over slow urban demand and inflation impacting advertising budgets, JioStar remains optimistic about IPL 2025. The tournament is expected to deliver strong results for advertisers, thanks to its extensive reach, targeted advertising options, and enhanced viewing experience.