The Indian Premier League ecosystem’s value was pegged at ₹82,700 crore in 2024, down 10.6 per cent from ₹92,500 crore in 2023, due to reassessment triggered by demand-side constraints as per a report released by D&P Advisory. The Women Premier League ecosystem’s valuation rose from ₹1,250 crore to ₹1,350 crore, marking an 8 per cent rise. Mumbai Indians was the most-valued franchise followed by Chennai Super Kings.
The report noted that the downturn in IPL valuation comes despite the league continuing to attract audiences across TV and digital platforms.
Santosh N, Managing Partner of D&P Advisory said,” In our previous year’s valuation report, we had already factored in the expected surge from the media rights renewal (post the current cycle). We anticipate certain demand-side constraints in the next IPL media rights cycle auction due to a decrease in number of potential bidders.”
The report noted that the developments such as the failed merger between Zee and Sony have impacted market dynamics. Also, no major tech players such as Amazon, Meta and Apple have forayed in the IPL media rights arena.
He said that these factors could lead to potential dearth of vigorous competition and a more conservative approach in the bidding for IPL media. “The days of escalating bid prices driven by fierce competition may be behind us, casting a shadow over the future growth trajectory of IPL’s media rights valuation. Despite a substantial growth opportunity for digital platforms, it remains to be seen whether market forces will generate sufficient competition to drive up the per-match value of IPL rights.”
India has witnessed a significant rise in internet penetration, driven largely by accessible data plans. The significant drop in the average cost of 1 GB of mobile data has democratized internet access across rural and urban areas, fostering digital inclusivity and fundamentally changing content consumption patterns. “Also, the free streaming of IPL and other cricket content indicates a trend where cricket broadcasters may struggle to revert to a monetization model to retain consumer loyalty on their platforms,” the report added.
Meanwhile, WPL continued to captivate audiences across both television and digital platforms, it added.
The report also ranked Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capital as the five most-valued franchises in the ecosystem.