MAM
IPL’s ratings make it tough for Max to post ad rev growth
MUMBAI: The fifth season of the Indian Premier League is settling down to lower ratings than its previous edition, making it tough for Multi Screen Media to protect its ad revenue of Rs 9 billion from the telecast of the event on Max.
The first 27 matches of the IPL have garnered a viewership of 3.53 TVR compared to 3.88 TVR a year ago, according to Tam data (for CS4+ TG, All India market). The cumulative reach has also gone down from 140 million last year to 137 million.
Despite improvement in competitiveness with several close finishes, the ratings for the IPL have gone down. For the first seven matches, the viewership was 3.76. This further fell to average TVR of 3.65 for 16 matches.
The IPL, however, continues to be a profitable property for MSM and cricket‘s highest revenue earner. “Media may file whatever they want to, but if you look at the top 10 programmes you will get your answer,” said IPL CEO Sundar Raman.
According to GMR Sports marketing head Hemant Dua, the drop in viewership is a natural progression in the life of a sporting league. He also believes that people have unfair expectations from the IPL.
“I think the IPL is maturing as a league and there will be times when the ratings will plateau a bit or will increase but overall the IPL has done well this season and attendance for matches has been good. The expectation from the IPL is high but one should understand that the ratings are strong enough,” said Dua.
The fragmentaion of the Indian media landscape has not helped the IPL to better its ratings this year. According to MEC South Asia COO Shubha George, the IPL ratings have been in line with expectations.“We had predicted a drop in viewership, but if you look at the ratings they are still better. After all, which property will give you a viewership of 3.5 TVR and a pan-India reach,” he said.
MSM has, however, stayed firm in not dropping the rates as it fears that it will make it difficult to up the rates next year if the benchmark is set low this time. Max has six sponsors on board who are forking out between Rs 450,000-500,000 per 10 second spot. The broadcaster has managed to sell only 70 per cent of inventory with a large part of the FCT being used for self-promotion.
Attempts to reach MSM president network sales, licensing & telephony Rohit Gupta proved futile till the time of filing this report.
For MSM to substantially boost its ad revenues from the IPL, ratings will have to improve. “They won‘t command a premium on average rating of 3.5. But the IPL as a property still remains a valuable proposition,” said a media analyst who did not want his name to be revealed.
MAM
PropertyPistol appoints Hemant Bajaj as chief marketing officer
Proptech firm taps global marketing leader to sharpen brand and growth strategy.
MUMBAI: In the fast moving world of proptech, building homes may be the business, but building the brand is just as crucial. Propertypistol, the proptech driven real estate advisory platform, has appointed Hemant Bajaj as its chief marketing officer (CMO) as the company looks to strengthen its brand narrative and accelerate growth across markets. Bajaj will lead the company’s marketing operations across multiple geographies, overseeing brand strategy, integrated marketing initiatives and revenue aligned growth programmes as Propertypistol prepares for its next phase of expansion.
The appointment comes at a time when the proptech sector is seeing rapid digital adoption, with companies increasingly focusing on leadership talent capable of combining technology, data driven marketing and customer experience.
Bajaj brings experience spanning India, South East Asia and the Middle East, where he has worked on scaling brands and leading digital transformation initiatives across multiple industries. His work in the marketing and media ecosystem recently earned him recognition as a ‘Powerhouse Leader’ at the Mastermind Awards in Dubai, highlighting his track record in managing high impact marketing mandates.
Propertypistol founder and managing director Ashish Narain Agarwal said the appointment comes at a pivotal stage in the company’s journey as it looks to strengthen its market presence.
“Hemant’s appointment comes at a defining moment for us. As we scale our market position, it is vital to have leadership that blends strategic vision with executional depth. Hemant’s deep understanding of brand and business alignment will be instrumental as we redefine the proptech landscape,” Agarwal said.
Bajaj said Propertypistol’s technology first approach to real estate advisory was one of the key reasons behind his decision to join the company.
“Propertypistol has established itself as a technology first platform that is redefining how investors navigate the property market. Having led marketing transformations across international borders and fast paced industries, I recognise the exceptional strength of the foundation built here,” he said.
He added that his focus would be on accelerating the company’s digital marketing capabilities while building strategies that deliver sustained value for customers and partners worldwide.
The leadership move reflects Propertypistol’s broader effort to strengthen its executive team as the proptech industry evolves rapidly. With property search, advisory and transactions increasingly shifting online, companies in the sector are investing heavily in marketing intelligence and digital platforms to stay competitive.
By bringing Bajaj on board, Propertypistol is betting that sharper brand positioning and technology led marketing will help it stand out in an increasingly crowded digital real estate marketplace.
