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IPL Digital Reach likely to be restricted to less than 200 million
Mumbai: The digital streaming universe in India is restricted largely to the smartphone base of ~460 million users in India, curbing the scale of IPL on digital severely compared to television which reaches out to 900mn viewers. Even within the smartphone universe in India, there remains a massive constraint in the consumption of sports due to consumer preference for watching live sports on TV, the increasing number of pay TV homes and high data costs of streaming compared to the ease of availability of same live sports content at negligible cost on TV.
Another critical factor restricting the scale of IPL viewership on digital is the high share of female ownership of smartphones.
Almost half of the smartphone universe in India comprises female audiences: As per a recent Comscore report, ~193 million out of the 460 million smartphone owners are females. Historically, digital streaming of sports has largely been a male domain with close to 85 per cent contribution to overall IPL digital viewers. Digital streaming of IPL is largely solo-viewing and women have very low interest in solo-view sports content. They prefer to watch with family and friends on TV. This, along with their negligible intent to download an app for sports content is expected to severely impact the overall digital reach of IPL to 160-180mn on mobiles.
Intent to download and solo-view sports content is very low among women: Cricket viewing among female audiences has been only a small fraction of the overall viewership of the sport in India. In 2019, when IPL was free, a mere 20 million women watched the tournament on digital. The intent to download an app and solo-view IPL is extremely low and most women prefer watching IPL on television, when friends and families come together to enjoy a collective viewing experience. The number of female users of top fantasy and cricket news related apps is barely 4-6 million, showcasing very low affinity for sport. Even for an entertainment app like MX player, the downloads are restricted to just 34 million among females as per App Annie data. This suggests that the potential downloads among female audiences could be anywhere between 30-35 million, a number too small to help scale IPL streaming on digital.
Miniscule smartphone base to restrict IPL digital reach to less than 200 million: Considering that the potential downloads among female users is expected to remain in the range of 30-35 million, how much could the male addressable base contribute to make IPL scalable on digital? Currently the composition of the male smartphone universe is close to 267 million as per Comscore. The conversion rate of male smartphone users to IPL streamers on digital can be estimated by looking at the conversion rate on TV which is in the range of 50-55 per cent. The likely male audiences for IPL on digital as a result could be in the region of ~130-150 million. On combining male and female audiences on digital, 160-180 million is the likely reach IPL can deliver this year on digital. Even after accounting for CTV reach, the overall digital IPL reach will be less than 200mn.
Television is the natural medium for viewing sports content as it allows viewers to celebrate the game and its memorable moments together with friends and family. TV delivers a lag-free experience with significantly better audio-visual quality, making the platform the clear preference for live sports consumption in India. The massive scale that IPL on television garners is more than 2X of what digital can achieve in the coming season of IPL, giving advertisers a clear view on why IPL on TV will continue to be the driver of scale and impact. Considering the growth of Pay TV and HD homes in India, television is well poised to reach a scale of 500 million viewers this IPL 2023.
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.
