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IPL TV viewership returns to pre-pandemic levels as viewer fatigue wears away
Mumbai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a significant increase in TV viewership for its season opener between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings. According to BARC data, the opening fixture clocked a total of 8.7 billion minutes of consumption on TV, which is 47 per cent more than last year and the highest ever, other than IPL editions played during the pandemic-induced lockdown. Reliance-owned Jio Cinema claimed a peak concurrency of 1.6 crore and six crore viewers overall for the first match of IPL 2023.
However, recent reports suggest that the IPL’s TV ratings have declined in the past couple of years due to viewer fatigue. Star Sports recorded a TVR of 5.6 for the opening fixture in 2022, the lowest in the last six editions. As viewers returned to their TV screens for the sixth time in three years, they found other distractions when India returned to a more normal way of life after a nearly 21-month lockdown, leading to a decline in TV viewership. The TVR for the opening fixture saw a decline from 2020 (10.36) to 2021 (8.25) and further to 2022 (5.6).
The entertainment industry is not alone in experiencing sharp rises and falls due to the pandemic. The travel and hospitality industry has seen a sharp decline in revenue and demand due to travel restrictions and lockdowns. However, with the easing of restrictions and the return of normalcy, many businesses in this sector have seen a surge in demand.
Similarly, the e-commerce industry has seen a significant increase in demand as more people turned to online shopping during the lockdowns. With the rise in vaccination rates and the gradual return of normalcy, this sector has also seen a decline in demand and now gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels.
However, the recent season opener’s TVR of 7.29 indicates that IPL fatigue is now behind us, and the TV viewership in 2023 has returned to a more normal level. This TVR is comparable to 8.0 in 2019 and 7.2 in 2018. As per the information received, the average time spent per viewer watching IPL on TV in 2023 is the second-highest if one were to exclude the peak Covid-19 years of 2020 and 2021. Time spent per viewer in 2023 was 76 minutes compared to 78 minutes in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, the average time spent per viewer stood at 81 minutes and 79 minutes, respectively.
Disney Star sports head Sanjog Gupta, in a statement in response to the opening day viewership said, “We are humbled with the overwhelming response that #IPLonStar has received from fans across the country. The massive growth in viewing time is a testament to the success of our campaign, focus on building virtues of Star Sports’ broadcast, continuing dominance of linear Television as the preferred platform for uninterrupted viewing of live cricket and most of all, the deep relationship we share with cricket fans.”
The IPL’s TV viewership has returned to pre-pandemic levels after initially dropping due to viewer fatigue. With the recent increase in TV viewership and time spent per viewer, it remains to be seen whether the IPL can sustain this trend throughout the current season.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
