With India qualifying for the Super 8 Stage of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, advertisers are rushing to secure an ad slot on television for the key India matches.
With the excitement reaching a fever pitch, brands are ready to pay nearly 200% premium for crucial T20 World Cup India matches for television, both SD and HD, according to industry insiders.
“In such tournaments, usually 70% of the ad inventory is sold out at the beginning and almost 15% is kept for bidding during the later stages and sold at a very high premium ranging from 50% to 200% of the average rates.
“It also depends on whom India will be playing against. For example, the premium was 200% for the India-Pakistan match. A similar premium is likely to be charged if India plays Australia. But it is for only that 15% inventory that is kept for bidding,” said a senior industry expert who did not wish to be named.
As reported earlier, the official broadcaster Disney Star and Disney + Hotstar has kept the ad rates for the T20 World Cup the same as the last time.
On the high demand for TV ad inventory, another expert mentioned that since television provides extensive reach, many brands, especially FMCGs, are willing to pay a high premium to fill TV ad inventory. Hence, its demand has substantially increased across SD and HD feeds.
According to sources, TV inventory for key matches has nearly been sold out on Star Sports. Limited inventory is available and is filling up fast for the knockout rounds (semi-finals and finals) with India showing a strong performance thus far in the tournament.
New categories/sponsors who have signed up during the tournament include mutual fund investments, paints, E-commerce, OTT, and automobiles among others, sources said.
India will play three matches in a span of five days in the Super 8 stage to qualify to the semi-finals, while the other group has massive clashes lined up with hosts West Indies, England and South Africa fighting for a semi-final slot.
According to Vinay Hegde, Chief Buying Officer, Madison World, India is expected to make it to finals and there could be last minute buys on those last few matches.
“The World Cup is what it is. The super 8 expectedly generates some interest considering that India figures in it along with Australia and England. And the USA is the surprise element. That said, this being the last month of the June quarter following IPL first and then Elections, budgets would be a constraint for the regular categories.
"Also, this is overseas and half of the super 8 are non-prime time. But in general, the overdrive we see for the last few matches is missing and there is no mad scramble. India is expected to make it to finals and there could be last minute buys on those last few matches,” said Hegde.
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