JioStar targets ₹5,000 crore in ad revenue for IPL 2025

JioStar, the joint venture between Reliance Industries Ltd's Viacom18 and The Walt Disney Co., is targeting ₹5,000 crore in advertising revenue for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, according to reports. The revenue target was initially set at over ₹6,000 crore but was later revised, the report said.

The company remains optimistic, citing strong advertiser interest, enhanced audience targeting tools, and real-time ad measurement innovations. Last year, IPL reached 525 million viewers on television and 425 million on digital platforms. With momentum from the India-England series and the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, JioStar expects combined viewership to cross 1 billion this year.

The company has secured 12 sponsors so far, including Campa (Reliance Retail), My11Circle, Opus Paints, State Bank of India, Coca-Cola, Kent Fans, Amfi (Mutual Funds), Amul, Zupee, PhonePe, Jaquar Bath Fittings, and Asian Paints, according to sources. Additional deals are anticipated in the coming weeks. Campa has reportedly signed a ₹200 crore deal, while My11Circle has also announced its partnership.

“We are thrilled to bring the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 to millions of cricket fans in India, supported by a robust roster of sponsors,” said Anup Govindan, Chief Revenue Officer, Sports,  JioStar. “This tournament is poised to be a landmark event, and the enthusiastic participation of top brands underscores the unifying power of cricket. We look forward to delivering an unmatched viewing experience for fans and meaningful value for our partners.”

JioStar is introducing new ad targeting capabilities to attract a broader range of advertisers. For the first time, brands can combine Connected TV (CTV), iOS, and high-end Android devices in their media plans, allowing for more precise audience segmentation.

The company is also expanding hyperlocal advertising, enabling campaigns tailored to specific geographic regions for sectors like real estate and auto dealerships. To improve transparency, JioStar has partnered with Nielsen for real-time, third-party ad performance validation. A Neurons Inc. study found IPL ads on JioHotstar drive higher engagement compared to user-generated content platforms and on-demand OTT services.

In a push to involve small and medium businesses (SMBs), JioStar is organising a 10-city roadshow to highlight IPL's advertising potential. The initiative offers lower entry points for regional advertisers.

While television remains important, digital ad spending is growing rapidly, with CTV emerging as the most sought-after ad space. However, the shift from concurrent viewership reporting on Hotstar to a ‘views’ metric on JioHotstar has raised concerns among advertisers about clarity on audience size. The company's new paywall model for IPL streaming, offering four hours of free content per month before requiring a subscription, has also sparked concerns about potential audience loss.

Despite challenges such as high ad costs, digital measurement concerns, and the paywall model, JioStar is betting on strong demand, ad innovations, and aggressive sales strategies to achieve record-breaking ad revenue for IPL 2025.