Sports
Disney Star Network records the highest ever reach in HSM markets for TATA IPL 2023
Mumbai: Disney Star, the official television broadcaster of TATA IPL 2023, has witnessed a massive growth in regional viewership of the marquee tournament. The Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) have recorded the highest viewership in IPL history with 20.4 crore fans tuning in for the first 10 matches, 29.5 per cent increase in comparison to the last edition. HSM also clocked a massive 4380 crore minutes of watch time, 25 per cent increase in comparison to last year. Significant centers for growth in HSM markets are UP, Bihar, MP, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana. Apart from HSM, the South markets have also witnessed a substantial growth of 21 per cent compared to the last edition, with AP/Telangana witnessing a 33 per cent consumption growth and Karnataka recording a 30 per cent growth, clocking 680 crore minutes for the first 10 matches, highest ever consumption (other than covid years) in IPL history.
Star Sports spokesperson said, “We are thrilled with the response we have received for our regional feeds. The Hindi speaking market has broken all viewership records to register the highest ever reach for the first 10 games in the history of IPL. Our feeds have been designed to bring fans closer to the game and provide an engaging experience. We have created surround programming for each language, keeping their unique culture in mind and this has helped us connect with fans in different parts of the country and provide them with an experience that is tailored to their needs.”
Star Sports roped Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador. Singh, in his role as ‘sutradhaar’ for the Incredible League is involved in creating a stream of immersive and entertaining content which brings alive compelling narratives from the marquee tournament. The Hindi feed boasts some of the former cricketers as experts such as Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Mohammad Kaif, and more allows fans to deep dive into all the action in real-time. Additionally, exclusive association with Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings for their new shows ‘Halla Bol’ and ‘Chak De’ has increased consumption by 53 per cent in Rajasthan, and 37 per cent in Punjab & Haryana. Similarly, Star Sports has witnessed a growth of 58 per cent in consumption in UP by delivering engaging surround programming through an exclusive association with KL Rahul for ‘Stars on Star’ and Lucknow Super Giants for a new show ‘LSG Junction’ along with LIVE telecast of select IPL 2023 matches on Star Utsav Movies (FTA) channel to drive sampling and conversions to Star Sports.
The increase in consumption for the South Markets can be attributed to the region-specific themes and the vast range of in-house experts like Gundappa Vishwanath, MSK Prasad, K Srikkanth, L Balaji, S Badrinath, Murali Vijay and S Sreesanth among others bringing fans closer to the game. The launch of Star Sports Telugu HD along with the association with legendary actor & cricket enthusiast Nandamuri Balakrishna – has helped fans in AP/Telangana markets to connect further with the tournament. Adding to the fan fervor were special initiatives like the IPL trophy tour, #MySocietyStadium, and Fan Buses organised by Star Sports, making it an engaging and unforgettable experience for cricket enthusiasts across the country.
Star Sports has been at the forefront of fuelling fandom for sports. The ‘Shor On, Game On!’ campaign by the broadcaster generated significant excitement and support before the tournament. The campaign captured the true essence of fans’ passion, excitement, and togetherness while watching the Incredible League LIVE on television sets. Disney Star clocked 6230 crore minutes of watch time for the opening 10 matches with a cumulative reach of 30.7 crore viewers for the first 10 matches, both of which are the second highest across IPL History.
Sports
Ashish Limaye bags gold and bronze at Montelibretti 2026 event
Indian rider shines in Italy, gains ground ahead of higher-level tests
MUMBAI: Ashish Limaye delivered a strong performance on the international stage, clinching both gold and bronze at the FEI Eventing Competition Montelibretti 2026 held in Italy earlier this month.
Competing against riders from across the globe, Limaye secured the top podium finish in the CCI 2 Long Format riding Easy Turn, registering a score of 30.2 in a field that featured participants from five nations. He followed it up with a bronze medal in the CCI 2 Short Format aboard Willy Be Dun, scoring 32 in a much larger and highly competitive pool of 66 riders representing nine countries.
Reflecting on the outing, Fédération Equestre Internationale event rider Ashish Limaye said, “Riding at Montelibretti was amazing. To compete with such talented riders from around the world was fantastic. I’m really happy with the results and the effort our team has put in.”
Beyond the podium finishes, Limaye also achieved a milestone result on D’Avril du Pinier, earning a Minimum Eligibility Requirement, bringing him closer to qualifying for the FEI World Equestrian Games.
While the Montelibretti competition was not a direct qualifier for major multi-sport events, it serves as a crucial stepping stone as Limaye prepares to move up to the more demanding CCI 3 level.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Indian rider now looks set to build on this success as he targets bigger stages in the global equestrian circuit.
