The 18th edition of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) emerged as a record-breaking season, crossing a combined global viewership of over one billion across TV and digital platforms, according to data released by JioStar, the league’s official broadcast and streaming partner.
Despite a mid-season suspension, the tournament reported 840 billion minutes of cumulative watch-time, marking the highest in its history. On linear television, Star Sports delivered 456 billion watch-time minutes and recorded the highest average TV ratings across demographics. The final match on TV reached 169 million viewers and registered 15 billion minutes of watch-time—both all-time highs for a T20 game.
Digital engagement surged, driven by growth in large-screen digital consumption. JioHotstar, the official digital home of the league, logged 23.1 billion video views and 384.6 billion minutes of watch-time—a 29% year-on-year rise. Connected TV (CTV) usage rose 49%, reflecting changing viewing habits.
JioStar customised offerings for a wide spectrum of distinct cohorts, defined by age, consumption profile, and region, aiming to grow engagement with committed fans.
“From the invite and proposition to the broadcast, we were committed to delivering hyper-personalized experiences that are inclusive, intuitive, interactive, and immersive. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the fans, whose passion and love for the game inspires us. We would also thank BCCI and our partners, whose support is critical in our endeavor to constantly raise the bar on industry-defining experiences we offer on our platforms,” a spokesperson for the company added.
The final match on JioHotstar recorded 892 million video views, 16.74 billion minutes of watch-time, and a peak concurrency of 55 million viewers—making it the most-watched digital cricket match on record.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their maiden IPL trophy, with Virat Kohli securing his first IPL title. The league also saw 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi become the youngest-ever centurion in IPL history.
From a viewer experience standpoint, JioStar introduced multiple new features across its platforms, including MaxView 2.0 for mobile navigation, FAST channels, voice-based search, and content in 12 Indian languages.
The broadcast experience was expanded with Dolby Atmos 4K, VR 360, Indian Sign Language, audio descriptive feeds, and interactive formats such as the Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan contest. More than 170 cricket experts participated in live coverage, which was offered in 25 feeds across 12 languages.
The season opened with 49.56 billion minutes of watch-time in the first weekend. Following the IPL, JioStar will stream India’s upcoming tour of England live on JioHotstar, starting June 20.
Edited by Jyoti Narayan
