IPL 2026 ad volumes rise 4 per cent as digital and TV battle for brands

MUMBAI: The IPL may have crowned a cricket champion, but off the field, another contest was playing out, a fierce battle for eyeballs, ad slots and brand supremacy. Advertising volumes during IPL 2026 grew 4 per cent on linear television compared to the previous season, underscoring the tournament’s continued pull for marketers even as viewing habits fragment across traditional TV and connected television (CTV).

According to TAM Sports data covering all 70 matches played between 28 March and 24 May, indexed commercial advertising volumes on linear television rose from 100 in IPL 2025 to 104 in IPL 2026. The analysis covered live match broadcasts only, excluding pre, mid and post-match programming, promotions and fillers.

The season highlighted the increasingly intertwined relationship between linear television and CTV. More than 35 categories and over 30 advertisers appeared across both platforms, signalling that brands are adopting a platform-agnostic approach to reach cricket audiences wherever they watch.

E-commerce emerged as the biggest winner in the advertising race. The “Ecom-Other Services” category topped ad volumes on both platforms, accounting for 11 per cent of CTV advertising and an even higher 14 per cent share on linear television.

The rest of the leaderboard revealed some notable differences in audience targeting. On CTV, cars secured an 8 per cent share, followed by smartphones at 6 per cent, while online shopping and paints each contributed 4 per cent. Linear television, meanwhile, remained a stronghold for mass-market categories, with mouth fresheners accounting for 13 per cent of ad volumes, followed by two-wheelers and energy drinks at 6 per cent each, and paints at 5 per cent.

When it came to advertisers, Google dominated both screens. The technology giant captured 13 per cent of ad volumes on CTV and 11 per cent on linear television, making it the most visible advertiser across the tournament.

On connected television, Tata Motors ranked second with a 4 per cent share, followed by Havells India, Reliance Consumer Products and Amazon Online India at 3 per cent each. On linear television, Reliance Consumer Products secured second place with a 9 per cent share, ahead of Havells India at 7 per cent, Vishnu Packaging at 6 per cent and K P Pan Foods at 4 per cent.

The data also revealed substantial platform-specific advertising behaviour. CTV hosted more than 35 exclusive categories and over 60 exclusive advertisers, compared with more than 20 exclusive categories and 30 exclusive advertisers on linear television.

Among CTV-exclusive categories, credit cards led the list, followed by adhesives, fast-food outlets, corporate FMCG brands and astrologers. Tata Motors, Vivo Mobile India, Renault India, Colgate-Palmolive India and Pidilite Industries emerged as the leading exclusive advertisers on the platform.

Linear television retained its appeal for categories such as chocolates, perfumes and deodorants, televisions, internet service providers and hosiery. Exclusive advertisers included K P Pan Foods, OpenAI, Cadbury India, GCMMF (Amul) and Skoda Auto.

The overlap between the two platforms remained significant. Alongside e-commerce services, common high-volume categories included mouth fresheners, two-wheelers, energy drinks and paints. Google, Reliance Consumer Products, Havells India, Vishnu Packaging and Hero MotoCorp featured among the top common advertisers.

The findings reflect how IPL advertising is evolving into a dual-screen ecosystem. While traditional television continues to attract broad-reach categories, connected television is increasingly becoming a playground for digitally focused brands targeting affluent and tech-savvy audiences.

For advertisers, the message appears clear: in IPL season, the boundary rope may separate the field from the stands, but increasingly there is little separating the TV screen from the streaming screen.