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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a global phenomenon, holding the title of the richest cricket league in the world. This powerhouse tournament has showered its players with millions, but a significant chunk of its revenue comes from broadcasting rights. Back in 2008, these rights were valued at INR 8,200 crore, a hefty sum at the time. Fast forward to today, and that number has skyrocketed to a staggering INR 48,000 crore! Over the past 16 years, the broadcasting rights have been a hot potato, changing hands three times among different companies. Each time, the price tag has climbed even higher, reflecting the ever-growing popularity of the IPL.
But the financial windfall isn't limited to broadcasting rights. Even player values have witnessed a dramatic rise. In 2008, MS Dhoni was the most expensive player, commanding a price of INR 9.5 crore. Today, the crown belongs to Mitchell Starc, who was snatched up by KKR for a whopping INR 24.75 crore.
Sony Scores Big with Decade-Long IPL Broadcast Rights (2008-2017)
From 2008 to 2017, Sony Pictures Network (SPN) dominated the IPL broadcast scene through a strategic partnership with World Sport Group (WSG). This 10-year deal, valued at a staggering INR 8,200 crore, granted SPN domestic broadcasting rights for the IPL. Meanwhile, WSG took care of international distribution. For nearly a decade, Sony MAX, Sony SIX, and Sony ESPN served as the familiar faces of IPL broadcasting within India. Sony MAX and Sony SIX catered to Hindi-speaking audiences, while Sony ESPN delivered commentary in English. Interestingly, Sony MAX even rose to become the most-watched television channel in the country during the IPL season, highlighting the immense popularity of the cricket league.
2018-2022: Star Sports and Hotstar
In a major shakeup, Star India emerged victorious on September 4, 2017, securing the coveted IPL global media rights for the next five years (starting 2018). This historic deal, valued at a staggering INR 16,347 crore, marked a massive 158% increase from the previous contract and solidified its position as the most expensive broadcast rights ever awarded in cricket history. Star Sports and Hotstar, under the Star India umbrella, triumphed over fierce competition from established players like Facebook and Sony, successfully outbidding them to grab the domestic, digital, and international broadcast rights for the IPL. Star Sports dominated TV broadcasts, while Hotstar ruled mobile streaming for the IPL. Their partnership solidified in September 2018 with a five-year deal. This ensured all domestic cricket would stream on Hotstar, with an additional perk for Jio Prime subscribers who could access the matches on Jio TV. Hotstar's dominance was evident in 2019, shattering international streaming records. Viewership peaked at 10 million users, with the final reaching a staggering 18.6 million.
2023-2027: Star Sports and Jio Cinema
In June 2022, the media rights for the IPL were announced for the 2023 to 2027 seasons. The broadcasting rights were divided into four packages in the auction. The sale of IPL media rights during this period resulted in record earnings for the BCCI. The Indian cricket board sold the media rights for the next five years, i.e., 2023 to 2027, for a total of INR 48,390 crore.
Package A, i.e., the TV rights for India, was acquired by Disney Star for INR 23,575 crore.
Package B, i.e., the digital rights for India, was acquired by Viacom18 for INR 20,500 crore.
Package C, i.e., the digital broadcast rights for 18 selected matches, was acquired by Viacom for INR 3,258 crore.
Package D, i.e., the rights for the rest of the world, was won by Viacom and Times Internet for INR 1,057 crore.
For the 410 matches to be played over five years from 2023 to 2027, the BCCI will receive INR 118 crore per match from media rights in the IPL. The BCCI plans to increase the number of matches in the 2026 and 2027 IPL seasons. Currently, 74 matches are played in an IPL season with 10 teams. This number is expected to increase to 84 and 94 matches per season in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
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