IPL 2024 Auction: Broadcaster Star Sports sees 57 percent increase in watch-time

IPL mini-auction’s broadcast on Star Sports broadcast equalled the highest viewership for any ‘mini’ auction in BARC history. Held on 19 December, the six-hour-long IPL mini-auction was watched for a record-equalling watch-time of 0.92 billion (92 crore) minutes. This represents ~57% growth in total watch-time compared to last year for the event. The mini-auction was held at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai in what was the first time the auction moved out of the country. The live auction was watched by 22.8 million viewers, which is also a 29% higher than last year. An additional 2.2 million (22 lakh) viewers tuned in for the overall coverage of IPL Auction 2023 beyond the live event, which included a curtain-raiser on the eve of the auction and live shows before, during and after the event. The most-watched moment from the auction was the headline-grabbing bidding wars for Australian stars Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, who were bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively for more than ₹20 crores each. CSK’s winning bid of ₹14 crore for New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell also featured in the three most watched moments from the auction. A Star Sports spokesperson said, “A record-breaking year for Cricket viewership on Star Sports has ended on a high with the IPL Auction. The response to the auction also serves as a stellar start to the runway for IPL 2024 and reinforces the strong association of the marquee event with Star Sports. “A distinctive element in this year’s auction coverage was the integration of fan sentiment in our coverage, in sync with BCCI and IPL teams’ efforts to integrate fans in the proceedings at the venue. The success of the auction has provided an early taster of Star Sports’ coverage and substantiated our confidence in continued growth of the marquee Cricket event on TV.”

Soaring to new heights this season at the @IPL auction with a record-breaking peak of 22.8 million viewers - a remarkable 57% increase from last year! Excellence is our driving force, and we're geared up to transcend boundaries and deliver exhilarating moments for cricket fans… pic.twitter.com/WNoa874p7Q

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) January 3, 2024

BCCI’s Honorary Secretary Jay Shah posted about the numbers on X. “Soaring to new heights this season at the @IPL auction with a record-breaking peak of 22.8 million viewers - a remarkable 57% increase from last year! Excellence is our driving force, and we’re geared up to transcend boundaries and deliver exhilarating moments for cricket fans worldwide in the upcoming IPL season!”