There have been many predictions that the media rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will not increase much in the next cycle. Amidst the hustle and bustle of IPL 2026, Indian Premier League Chairman Arun Dhumal has put a full stop to all these things.
This cycle is already breaking records: Disney Star has TV rights worth $3.02 billion, while Viacom18 has digital rights worth $3.05 billion. However, some experts believe that the next cycle may be slower as India’s media market is undergoing mergers and restructuring.
Arun Dhumal denies reports of IPL collapse
But Arun Dhumal has claimed that the value of the world’s biggest franchise league is not even close to falling; Instead, it is going in the opposite direction. Currently, the 10-team T20 competition is in the second-last year of its 2023-27 media-rights cycle. He pointed out that no other sports or entertainment property in India attracts this level of interest.
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Arun Dhumal was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying: “There has been a lot of consolidation in the media sector. But when it comes to IPL, there is no other property that has this kind of interest for any media company. The live sports content is excellent. Every ball is an event.”
The IPL chairman even predicted that the next media rights auction will attract more competition than the previous auction. “By the time we go for the next media-rights cycle, there will be a lot of interest from existing players as well as new players. I don’t see any reason for the value to go down. I think it will go up in the next cycle because of the way the tournament has progressed and the value it creates,” Dhumal said.
The major talking point is digital streaming. Since IPL streaming numbers have already surpassed TV viewership, many are wondering whether paid streaming could reduce viewership. But Dhumal doesn’t say, “It will fall.” He believes that fans will happily pay a small amount to watch live cricket, especially if the excitement lasts till the last ball.
IPL franchises are flourishing: Arun Dhumal
Dhumal has emphasized that watching a live IPL game is much cheaper and far more exciting than a movie for which fans spend hundreds of rupees, so there is no reason for it to drop in value. He also talked about how well the IPL franchises are performing financially.
Core income from media rights has grown massively over the last few years – from ₹8,200 crore in the 2008-17 period to ₹16,347 crore in 2018-22 and now an incredible ₹48,390 crore in the current cycle. And most importantly, central sponsorships now bring in about ₹850 crore every year.
Arun Dhumal signed off by saying, “Certainly, they are profitable. If you look at how much value the IPL has created over 18 editions, the growth has been significant. So, it is not just a cricket tournament. It is a strong business model and a vibrant entertainment product, driven by competitive cricket.”
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