IPL's Broadcast Deal: How Rs 48,390 Crore Changed Cricket Economics
The IPL's 2022 media rights deal — Rs 48,390 crore (approximately USD 6 billion) for 2023-2027 — is the second-most expensive per-game broadcast deal in sport globally, behind only the NFL. The deal saw Disney Star lose the digital rights to Reliance's JioCinema (which streamed free in India), while Disney Star retained broadcast TV rights. Understanding IPL's broadcast economics explains why every other cricket league is a distant commercial second.
The IPL's media rights history: the original rights (2008-2009) were sold to Sony Max for approximately USD 918 million for 10 years; the rights were renegotiated in 2012 (Sony retained, higher value); in 2017, Star India acquired the broadcast rights for INR 16,347.5 crore (approximately USD 2.5 billion) for 2018-2022. The 2022 auction: the IPL split the media rights into two packages — Package A (broadcast TV) and Package B (digital streaming). Star Sports won Package A for INR 23,575 crore; Viacom18 (Reliance) won Package B for INR 20,500 crore. The total: INR 48,390 crore (approximately USD 6.2 billion) for 5 seasons (2023-2027).
Per-Game Value
Per-game value of IPL broadcast rights: the IPL plays approximately 74 matches per season (under the current 10-team format). Over 5 seasons: 370 matches. INR 48,390 crore over 370 matches = approximately INR 130 crore (USD 16 million) per game. For comparison: the NFL's broadcast deal averages approximately USD 17-18 million per game; the IPL is within the same order of magnitude. By comparison: the English Premier League generates approximately USD 10 million per game from broadcast rights; the NBA approximately USD 7 million per game. The IPL's per-game value is driven by India's unique combination of massive population (1.4 billion+), high cricket engagement rate (400+ million cricket fans), and a rapidly growing advertising market.
Impact on Other Leagues
How IPL's broadcast revenue changed global cricket economics: (1) Player valuations: IPL auction prices have become the global benchmark for T20 player value — a player worth INR 12-15 crore in the IPL can justify higher salaries in the BBL, PSL, or SA20; (2) League expansion: the IPL's commercial success validated the franchise T20 model globally; every new T20 league (SA20, The Hundred, ILT20, MLC) uses the IPL franchise model as its template; (3) BCCI income: the BCCI receives a significant portion of IPL broadcast revenue — this fund underwrites all Indian domestic cricket development, infrastructure, and national team support; (4) Player development investment: IPL teams' profitability encourages investment in coaching, analytics, and player development that filters into national team quality.
Women's IPL Rights
Women's Premier League (WPL) media rights: the WPL's 2023 media rights were sold to Viacom18 for INR 951 crore (approximately USD 115 million) for 5 seasons — covering 22 matches per season (110 total). Per-game value: approximately INR 8.6 crore (USD 1 million) per match. While significantly below the men's IPL rate, the WPL per-game rate is substantially higher than any other women's cricket broadcast deal globally. For comparison: the WBBL (Australian Women's Big Bash League) generates approximately AUD 1 million per match from broadcast rights. The WPL's launch is seen as a benchmark for women's T20 cricket's commercial potential, with rights expected to increase significantly at the next auction.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the IPL broadcast deal worth?
The IPL's 2022-2027 media rights deal is worth INR 48,390 crore (approximately USD 6.2 billion) for 5 seasons. The rights were split between Star Sports (broadcast TV: INR 23,575 crore) and Viacom18's JioCinema (digital streaming: INR 20,500 crore) with additional rights packages. This works out to approximately INR 130 crore (USD 16 million) per match — placing the IPL among the most valuable broadcast properties per game in global sport, comparable to the NFL. The deal was significantly higher than the previous 2017-2022 deal worth INR 16,347.5 crore, reflecting the rapid growth of India's digital advertising market and mobile internet penetration.
Who owns the broadcast rights for IPL in 2024?
IPL broadcast rights for 2023-2027 are split between Star Sports (Broadcast TV — linear television rights) and JioCinema, owned by Reliance Industries' subsidiary Viacom18 (digital streaming rights). Star Sports (a subsidiary of Disney Star) holds the TV broadcast rights and airs IPL on its sports channels. JioCinema streams the IPL digitally and has offered free streaming without subscription since 2023 — supported by advertising revenue rather than subscription fees. In 2024, Reliance Industries agreed to merge Viacom18's media assets with Star India, creating a new joint venture; the combined entity will hold all IPL media rights going forward.
How many people watch IPL?
The IPL is the most-watched sporting event in India with an estimated cumulative viewership of 600+ million across digital and broadcast platforms per season (2023-2024). The 2023 IPL season on JioCinema alone attracted 620 million unique viewers across the season, with 59 million concurrent viewers for the final (a global record for concurrent digital streaming of a sporting event at the time). TV broadcast viewership adds additional hundreds of millions of viewers — approximately 400-450 million cumulative on Star Sports TV per season. Total combined reach (TV + digital) for the 2023 IPL: approximately 1+ billion reach events across the season's 74 matches.