Sports
BUDX NBA House returns to India in Delhi
Fan experience with Isiah Thomas and DeMarcus Cousins set for May 9–10 at Bharat Mandapam.
MUMBAI: BUDX NBA House is dribbling back into India because when basketball meets Delhi, even the courtside seats start feeling like courtside culture. The NBA and Budweiser India have confirmed the return of BUDX NBA House, an immersive fan experience blending basketball, music and culture. Following its debut in Mumbai last year, the event moves to New Delhi on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Exhibition Hall No. 6, coinciding with the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
The two-day programme (for ages 16 plus) features on-court activities, live performances by international and Indian artists, meet-and-greets with two-time NBA champion and Naismith Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas and four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, BUDX Masterclasses with expert workshops and panels, a 3-on-3 celebrity game, streetwear showcases, photo ops with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, and appearances by Sacramento Kings mascot Slamson, the Kings Dancers and dunk team. The Kings, who played the first NBA games in India in 2019, return for a second consecutive year.
NBA India country head Rajah Chaudhry said, “Hosting BUDX NBA House in New Delhi for the first time marks an exciting next step in our continued efforts to engage fans across India in new and creative ways. The response in Mumbai last year showcased the incredible passion for basketball in the country.”
AB Inbev vice president of marketing & trade Marketing for India Vineet Sharma added, “After witnessing the phenomenal response to the first-ever BUDX NBA House in Mumbai, we’re excited to bring an elevated and more immersive edition to fans in New Delhi.”
Last year’s Mumbai edition welcomed more than 6,000 fans over two days. BUDX NBA House has previously been held in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Mexico, the US and the UK, with Australia set to host its first edition on 14–17 May 2026.
The Delhi event will be produced, promoted and ticketed by District by Zomato. Further details on partners and programming will be announced soon.
The 2025-26 NBA season is streamed live in India on Prime Video, the NBA Youtube channel and NBA League Pass.
In a country where cricket reigns supreme, the NBA is quietly sinking three-pointers into culture proving that when hoops, hip-hop and heritage collide in Delhi, even the fans start believing the next big slam could be Indian.
Sports
IPL 19 TV Ad Volumes Rise 10 per cent Despite Fewer Brands
Google storms top spot as e-com services and mouth fresheners lead charge in four-match clash with IPL 18.
MUMBAI: Google has bowled a perfect googly in the IPL 19 ad arena while the batsmen chased sixes on the field, the search giant has quietly smashed the biggest boundary of all, claiming 12.67 per cent of commercial airtime and leaving rivals gasping. Overall television ad volumes for the four live matches of IPL 19 hit an indexed 109.94 compared with IPL 18’s baseline of 100, a crisp 9.94 per cent jump that proves advertisers still see cricket’s biggest stage as the ultimate pitch. Yet the numbers tell a more nuanced tale. Categories slimmed from 47 to 40 (a 14.9 per cent drop) and advertisers shrank from 58 to 43 (down 25.9 per cent), suggesting a leaner, meaner battle where the survivors are spending smarter.
The new pecking order makes for fascinating reading. In IPL 19, Ecom-Other Services surged to the summit with 13.78 per cent share, nudging out perennial favourite Mouth Fresheners (13.57 per cent). Air Conditioners (5.94 per cent), Corporate-Financial Institutes (5.69 per cent) and Paints (5.23 per cent) rounded out the top five, elbowing aside last season’s heavy hitters. Back in IPL 18, Mouth Fresheners led at 10.73 per cent, followed by Ecom-Gaming (10.62 per cent), Cellular Phones-Smart Phones (7.83 per cent), Biscuits (7.66 per cent) and Cars (6.60 per cent).
On the advertiser leaderboard, Google’s 12.67 per cent dominance is unassailable. Reliance Consumer Products (7.28 per cent) took silver, Havells India (5.94 per cent) bronze, while Vishnu Packaging (5.56 per cent) and K P Pan Foods (4.80 per cent) completed the top five. Contrast that with IPL 18, where Parle Biscuits (7.66 per cent) topped the chart, followed by Vishnu Packaging (5.92 per cent), Apple Computer India (5.52 per cent), Reliance Consumer Products (5.31 per cent) and Billion Brains Garage Ventures (4.52 per cent).
Fresh blood has clearly refreshed the mix. Nine entirely new categories and a whopping 45 new brands entered the fray. Among the debutants making an instant splash: Chocolates, Laptops/Notebooks, Range of Hair Care, Corporate-Pharma/Healthcare and Footwear. Stand-out new brands include Google Search Engine, Google Gemini, Lloyd Designer AC, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate, Hero Splendor Plus Range and Joy Hello Sun Sunblock Anti-Tan Lotion, proof that even the most unexpected players are now eyeing cricket’s captive millions.
Conversely, 16 categories sat out IPL 19, including former stalwarts Ecom-Gaming, Cellular Phones-Smart Phones, Biscuits, Airlines and Fans. The message is clear: the ad economy is evolving faster than a T20 run-chase.
So while the on-field drama delivers its usual thrills, the commercial breaks are delivering something even more compelling, a masterclass in how to turn 22 yards of grass into serious brand territory. IPL 19 has shown that when the right mix of innovation and investment meets cricket fever, the ad scoreboard lights up in ways even the most optimistic analysts might not have predicted.
