ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024: Disney Star’s ad revenue may reach Rs 1200-Rs 1500 crore
Disney Star's ad revenue for the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup is expected to hit Rs 1200-Rs1500 crore across linear television and digital platforms, according to sources in the industry. This is a significant increase from the previous season's Rs1000-crore mark. (With inputs from Sonam Saini)
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This edition of T20 World Cup has the highest number of participating teams (20) with the highest number of games (55). According to sources close to development, the media giant has onboarded a total of 59 categories of advertisers, which is a 70% growth from T20 World Cup 2022. Out of this, 37 categories (63%) made their debut this season. Some of these new categories were adhesives, banking, biscuits, building materials, credit card, ecom – shopping, eyewear, fans, ice-cream/frozen dessert, Lubricants, mattresses etc.
“Initially, the buzz around the T20 World Cup was not as strong as the previous season. However, it has certainly gained momentum. I anticipate that ad revenues will be 10-15% higher than last season,” said a senior media planner on the conditions of anonymity.
Media planners have witnessed a significant jump in brand participation as well. A total of 90 brands advertised on television, a 30% increase from the 2022 season. As many as 39 out of the 52 advertisers were new this season.
While the season began with 19 sponsors, Disney Star capitalised on growing interest by adding more brands to the roster. This included big names like P&G, Google, Colgate, AMFI, Ultratech, and Amazon, Whisper and Grasim Birla.
Connected TV (CTV) has also emerged as a driver, with its inventory reportedly completely sold out. As per experts, Disney+ Hotstar's free mobile streaming has also boosted viewership.
The India-Pakistan clash drew 2.9 crore peak viewers on Disney+ Hotstar, exceeding the 2022 World Cup but falling short of the 2023 World Cup. Rain-related delays might have impacted viewership for that match, experts said.
“While Disney Star secured impressive revenue this year, it's likely due to specific matches and strategic pricing, not overall high demand. The current business climate is sluggish, leading to a wait-and-see approach,” said a media buyer who did not wish to be named.
Talking of factors that contributed to the gain in ad revenues, experts say, firstly, unlike the Indian Premier League, the media giant held the exclusive media rights for both television and digital platforms. Adding to that ownership edge, their strategic decision to keep ad rates stable compared to last season also played a key role offering advertisers the flexibility they needed.
Disney Star offered tiered ad pricing to advertisers. The asking price for both SD and HD feed for all matches stood at Rs 6.40 lakh. The 28 key matches are priced at Rs 11.25 lakh while best six India and knockout matches plus 12 prime time matches are priced at Rs 13.80 lakh.
On the other hand, all India and knockout matches are priced at Rs 26.50 lakh. The broadcaster is seeking Rs 4.50 lakh for the key non-India matches (prime-time).
Tags : Icc Men S T20 World Cup 2024 Disney Star Disney Hotstar Cricket