After IPL inaugural, TV viewership ebbs

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Mumbai, April 21

Like a much-hyped Bollywod flick on its first day first show on a Friday, IPL's first match played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers of Bangalore bagged the maximum audiences (10.56) at the latter's home city Bangalore.

The TAM Media Research data, on the first three IPL matches, recorded an average rating of 8.21 across the six metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai on that day. However, after the first match, the subsequent ones played at Mohali and Delhi showed average viewership dipping to 4.97 (Chennai Super Kings Vs Kings of Punjab) and 5.58 (Rajasthan Royals Vs Delhi Daredevils).

Among the six metros, Chennai viewers did not seem to enjoy the IPL matches as much as the others as its average viewership for the first three matches was the lowest. Besides, the Bangalore viewers' interest in the IPL matches nosedived from the initial match at 10.56 to 3.83 and 3.65 for the next two matches played in Mohali and Delhi.

While there is a possibility of interest waning in the future matches, advertisers are not unduly perturbed as they expect the owners of the teams to sustain the entertainment value in the game. Claims Mr Harit Nagpal, Marketing and New Business Director, Vodafone Essar, "We got the returns that we had anticipated. It has got the format of a reality show and is backed by the world of entertainment and not just the world of cricket. And even if there is a slowdown in viewership, the people who own the teams will make sure there is enough entertainment to draw in people."

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