JioStar’s Rs 4,500 Crore IPL Chase: Premium pricing, big brand deals

JioStar is leveraging every tool at its disposal to meet its Rs 4,500-Rs 5,000 crore ad revenue target for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, as estimated by media buyers and planners, who also confirm a surge in advertiser demand. From aggressive ad pricing and sponsorship deals to cutting-edge ad measurement partnerships, the company is making a concerted push to establish IPL as India’s most premium ad inventory.

This confidence is reflected in the momentum JioStar has built ahead of the tournament, with advertiser interest already surpassing previous benchmarks.

“We have targets, but we have to see whether those targets will be realized. But given where we are right now compared to where we were at the same time last year, I think we are very bullish, and we are seeing a lot of strong advertiser demand going into the tournament,” said Ishan Chatterjee, Head of Business, Sports Revenue, SMB & Creator, JioStar, in an interaction with exchange4media.

This growing advertiser confidence is evident in the high-profile brands that have already come on board for IPL 2025, marking a strong start for JioStar’s first marquee event since the Reliance-Disney merger.

They have secured Campa, My11Circle, Amul, and the State Bank of India (SBI) as television and digital sponsors, sources have told exchange4media.

While sponsorship deals are falling into place, a key question remains unanswered for IPL on digital—how much of the IPL will be free to watch, and where will JioStar draw the paywall? This is not just a concern for viewers but also a crucial factor for advertisers, who are keen to understand how the streaming model will impact audience reach and engagement.

“Our goal is to ensure users can sample a significant portion of content before hitting any paywall. We haven’t set a fixed number yet, as we’re still experimenting, but the free access will be substantial—enough for users to watch an entire game,” Chatterjee said.