IPL-5 ratings may be down and out. But SET Max has decided to up advertisement rates for the final lap. It will charge Rs 12 lakh for 10 seconds of airtime during the last four matches (semi-finals and finals) of the tournament. Currently, the official broadcaster has sold nearly 70 per cent of its total ad inventory. There have not been enough advertisers as it has been holding on to its steep rates, at Rs 5 lakh for a 10-second spot.
“Considering Max has not been able to sell its inventory, it will look at maximising its revenues for the ‘cream' matches. It is only those clients with a specific agenda that would be willing to pay these kind of rates for the final matches,” claims Mr Navin Khemka, Managing Partner, Zenith Optimedia.
Media planners estimate nearly Rs 25 crore of airtime will be sold for the last four matches of the tournament. SET Max is expected to sell nearly 500 seconds a match for the reserved/balance 20-30 per cent inventory in the last four matches at Rs 12 lakh for 10 seconds, for which new deals are being firmed up between the official broadcaster and media agencies.
But Group M, the largest media buying agency is sceptical about SET Max being able to pull this off. “If the IPL average ratings go down further, it will be a challenge for SET Max to fill up the balance inventory. Usually, there are higher ratings at the beginning, which taper off in the middle and again pick up at the end of the tournament. But up till now the average ratings have been dipping,” says an official from Group M, with such clients as Pepsi, Vodafone and Idea.
According to the latest data by Tam Sports, the average television ratings for the first 16 matches of IPL-5 were down 9 per cent, at 3.65, compared with the previous season.
Meanwhile, Max continues to lure advertisers with its tagline ‘Aisa Mauka Aur Kahan Milega'.
In a statement, Mr Neeraj Vyas, Executive Vice-President and Business Head, Max, says: “Our prime-time ratings indicate that DLP IPL continues to be the most watched spectacle on Indian television, enthralling families across the length and breadth of this cricket-crazy nation. We are confident that, as the tournament progresses, Max will continue to offer value to its partners and viewers alike.”