India in finals of Champions Trophy is already a winner for broadcasters as ad rates rocket

Team India in the finals of ICC Champions Trophy.

India making into the finals of the Champions Trophy's not only has cricket fans excited but also the broadcasters and digital platforms, as ad rates are expected to zoom when Rohit Sharma and Company take on New Zealand for the big prize on March 9, said experts.

For the final match, ad rate are estimated to be upwards of Rs 40 lakh for a 10-second slot and digital rates as high as Rs 725 CPM (cost per mille/thousand impressions). Rates of Run of Site (ROS) ads, which appear on various pages of a website without specific targeting criteria, has increased to Rs 575 for the finals from Rs 500 for 10 seconds video ads during India games.

The tournament, which returns after eight years, is like a mini World Cup and with India in the finals, the viewership will surge significantly and that will attract premium ad rates for the remaining matches, said Vivek Menon, Managing Partner, NV Capital.

"India qualifying for the finals will make advertising rates shoot over the roof... Ad rates for India matches were in the range of Rs 20-25 lakh per 10 second slot and for connected TV it was around Rs 10-15 lakh."

Ad slots for the India-Pakistan match were sold for as high as Rs 50 lakh for a 10-second slot. India easily beat Pakistan in what turned out to be a tame encounter.

On the digital side, the ad rates for India matches at Rs 500 per CPM was double the Rs 250 rate for non-India games, said Yasin Hamidani, director, Media Care Brand Solutions.

Connected TV (CTV) for a 10-second slot during India matches was available at Rs 15 lakh.

The tournament is expected to generate an overall ad revenue of around Rs 1,500 crore, said Robin Thomas, Lead-Strategic Partnerships & Growth, White Rivers Media, a digital marketing agency.

Favourable match timings are also playing a role in driving viewership and advertiser interest, said Karan Taurani, senior vice-president, Elara Capital.

Pakistan is the host of the Champions Trophy but all India games have been played in Dubai over security concerns. The final too will be played there.

The first three matches of the Champions Trophy recorded 110 million TV viewers, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) analysis. The India versus Pakistan match registered 60.2 crore views.

Thomas said the tournament is offering compact format, high stakes matches at a time when consumer spending is high. "The tournament’s prestige attracts premium audiences, and the multi-screen viewing habits of cricket fans create ample opportunities across both broadcast and digital platforms," he added.

Newer brands

Several new brands have tested waters with the ICC tournament, said Vaishal Dalal, co-founder and director, Excellent Publicity, an adtech agency.

"This is a strategy of running pilot campaigns ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Once they (brands) assess the campaign’s effectiveness, they often allocate larger budgets for IPL advertising," he said.

Fantasy gaming continues to dominate as a key advertising category. Electronics players, too, have invested heavily, to cash in on the summer season. These companies are strategically positioning themselves to ensure that when consumers think of purchasing an air conditioner or refrigerator, the remember the brand.

With the FY25 in its last month, the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) vertical is increasing its advertising spends, said Taurani.

The tournament has 11 sponsors —Dream11, Pernod Ricard India, Beam Suntory, Kohler, Birla Opus, Vodafone Idea, ICICI Direct, McEnroe, Eicher Motors, LIC Housing Finance and Indira IVF.

Taurani said the Champions Trophy is an attractive property and is setting up the stage for the 2025 edition of the IPL, which begins

It will play a pivotal role in the broadcaster JioStar's cricket portfolio strategy as the tournament focuses on high-value and limited fixtures, Thomas said.

ICC tournaments vs IPL

"IPL is estimated to generate Rs 4,500-5,000 crore including TV and digital and ICC could be 30-35 percent (Rs 1,575-1750 crore) of IPL's ad revenue. While it (Champions Trophy) is an attractive property, it has a limited number of India matches," Taurani added.

The close scheduling of the IPL and Champions Trophy creates a potential advertising crunch, said Santosh N, Managing Partner of D & P Advisory. "The ICC (International Cricket Council) must carefully evaluate the financial viability and relevance of the Champions Trophy. While the ODI (one day international) format faces challenges, strategic scheduling, differentiation from other tournaments, and ensuring competitive quality can justify its place in the cricketing calendar," he said.

Dalal, however, said that the Champions Trophy's return after a long hiatus has added to the excitement.

"With India's recent triumph in the T20 World Cup, they entered the tournament as strong favourites, raising hopes for another major title. This event also serves as a shot at redemption following the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup loss, securing this trophy would be a monumental boost for Team India," he said. ICC tournaments are the only games where fans get to witness the see India versus Pakistan, the sport’s most intense and widely followed rivalry.

Be it the tournament or the upcoming IPL, marketers are confident of strong advertiser interest.

General entertainment channels are struggling due to reduced ad spends by some categories but not sports, Taurani said.

"Some of the biggest cricketing properties like the World Cup, Champions Trophy and IPL are the most premium advertising properties in India. Their demand is always there and new-age companies always try to get a slice of such properties," Menon said.

Thomas pointed to the premium ad rates for IPL 2025. "TV spots are commanding premium rates, reaching up to Rs 18 lakh for 10-second slots, with digital platforms seeing 10-15 percent rate increases. Despite broader market caution, cricket remains a highly sought-after platform for advertisers, with brands seeking integrated packages that deliver clear performance metrics," he said.

Disclosure: Moneycontrol is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.