Sports
IPL 2026: Know the tech and broadcast game behind India’s biggest sporting event
From AI-driven storytelling to real-time graphics and cloud production, broadcasters gear up to turn 700 million viewers into active participants
MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League 2026 season kicks off on March 28. As we all know, the IPL is not merely a sporting event; it is a gargantuan logistical and technological undertaking that is transforming how over 700 million people consume cricket. As the first ball approaches, the battle for supremacy is as much in the broadcast control rooms as it is on the pitch.
With the merger of major media entities and the rise of “fan-aware” technology, broadcasters are entering this season with a sophisticated digital arsenal designed to turn passive viewers into active participants. The question is no longer whether audiences will watch, but how deeply they will engage.
The invisible engine: How broadcasters prepare for the storm
Preparation for an IPL season begins approximately six to eight months before the opening ceremony. It is a massive coordination of hardware, software and human expertise, executed with military precision.
Hundreds of high-tech cameras, including super slow-motion units and spider-cams, are deployed across venues. These are managed by mobile control rooms built into heavy-duty trucks that function as high-intensity production hubs. Alongside, miles of fibre optic cables, advanced audio systems and replay servers are transported across cities within tight 48-hour windows.
This logistical complexity is not incidental. Industry estimates suggest that specialised handling reduces equipment damage by 40 per cent, a critical factor when dealing with sensitive broadcast infrastructure at scale.
In the weeks leading up to the launch, technical teams finalise what is known as “signal-to-video” architecture. These systems are programmed to trigger graphics, such as player milestones or wicket alerts, within seconds of the live moment, ensuring that storytelling keeps pace with the game itself.
Increasingly, this preparation is also shifting beyond the stadium. With the rise of remote production, or REMI, several secondary feeds are now processed in the cloud. Editors sitting in Mumbai or Bengaluru can cut highlights from matches played in Chennai or Delhi in under a minute, fundamentally altering the speed of broadcast workflows.
Real-time data: From raw numbers to immersive storytelling
Today’s cricket viewer expects far more than a scorecard. The modern broadcast is built on what can best be described as contextual intelligence, where every ball carries layers of insight.
“India’s cricket audience today expects far more context and insight alongside the live action,” says Divyajot Ahluwalia, director at wTVision Solutions Pvt. Ltd. “Every IPL broadcast processes millions of real-time data points through ball-tracking, player tracking systems, and multi-camera production workflows, which are translated instantly into graphics such as wagon wheels, pitch maps and predictive trajectories. When presented effectively, this data does more than inform; it enhances how fans interpret strategy and momentum in the game. Broadcast innovation is fundamentally about converting complex data streams into clear, compelling visuals for audiences.”
This data-driven layer serves two critical functions. It enables strategic interpretation, allowing viewers to understand the reasoning behind decisions on the field. At the same time, it enhances momentum visualisation, with predictive tools such as win probability models ensuring that engagement remains high even during slower phases of play.
The AI layer: The invisible producer
Beyond visible graphics lies an even more transformative shift, the rise of AI-driven production.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly acting as an editorial assistant, scanning live data and historical patterns to flag potential storylines in real time. If a bowler has a known weakness against a particular batter in the death overs, the system can prompt producers to surface relevant comparisons before the moment unfolds.
AI is also powering real-time multilingual capabilities. Advances in voice technology now allow commentary to be translated instantly into multiple regional languages while preserving the tone and emotion of the original speaker. This is expanding reach without proportionally increasing production complexity.
Innovation trends shaping the 2026 season
The 2026 season marks a digital-first era in which the broadcast adapts to the viewer, rather than the other way around.
Augmented reality and virtual elements are now central to the viewing experience. Broadcasters are using AI-based keying to insert graphics behind players in real time, creating a sense of depth that makes statistics feel embedded within the field of play. Even experimental tools such as robotic cameras have evolved into interactive elements, capturing unique angles and adding personality to the broadcast.
Fan-aware personalisation is gaining ground. Streams can now be tailored to individual preferences, with tactical feeds offering deep analytics for serious followers, while social feeds integrate polls, reactions and influencer commentary for younger audiences.
The multi-screen ecosystem is becoming indispensable. With nearly 90 per cent of viewers using a second screen, broadcasters are integrating features such as click-to-WhatsApp and shoppable advertising. A viewer can move from watching a match to purchasing a product seen on screen within seconds.
Another emerging layer is hyper-personalised advertising. Using computer vision, virtual advertisements displayed during a match can be dynamically altered based on the viewer’s location, allowing the same live feed to carry different brand messages across markets.
Infrastructure reimagined: 5G, cloud and edge computing
Handling millions of real-time data points requires equally advanced infrastructure. Telecom providers are increasingly using 5G network slicing to create dedicated bandwidth for live broadcasts, ensuring seamless streaming even in densely packed stadiums.
At the same time, cloud-first production models are reducing dependency on on-site hardware. This shift is enabling faster turnaround times, greater scalability and more efficient coordination between geographically dispersed teams.
TV vs digital: A hybrid powerhouse
The divide between television and digital has effectively collapsed into a unified ecosystem. Traditional television continues to deliver scale and stability, reaching hundreds of millions of households, particularly in smaller towns and cities where appointment viewing remains strong.
Digital platforms, on the other hand, dominate in interactivity and personalisation, attracting urban audiences and younger viewers with features such as multi-camera angles, real-time engagement tools and targeted content delivery.
Rather than competing, the two formats now complement each other, creating a hybrid model that combines reach with engagement.
Are broadcasters ready?
With the scale of IPL expanding and audience expectations rising, the pressure on broadcasters has never been greater. Yet the evidence suggests a high degree of readiness.
From AI-assisted production and cloud-based workflows to augmented reality graphics and personalised viewing experiences, the broadcast ecosystem has evolved into a finely tuned machine. The integration of data, infrastructure and storytelling is no longer experimental, it is foundational.
As Ahluwalia underscores, the essence of modern broadcasting lies in simplifying complexity for the viewer. In 2026, that ambition is closer to being realised than ever before.
The implication is clear. The most important action is no longer confined to the pitch. It unfolds simultaneously in control rooms, data centres and cloud servers, where technology, creativity and precision converge.
In this season, the best seat in the house is no longer in the stadium. It is wherever a fan has a screen, a signal and the appetite for a richer, smarter game.
Sports
Sony Pictures Networks India strikes broadcast deal with LIV Golf for 2026 season
The agreement gives the rebel golf league television and streaming reach across South Asia and Central Asia, covering 14 events in 10 countries
LIV Golf has found a powerful new ally in India. Sony Pictures Networks India has struck a broadcast partnership with the rebel golf league for its 2026 season, bringing live coverage to audiences across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives, a market of staggering scale that the league has been eyeing for years.
Under the deal, Sony will carry comprehensive live coverage of all 14 LIV Golf League events across Sony Sports Network on linear television and Sony LIV on its premium OTT platform. The 2026 season spans 10 countries and five continents, and Sony’s coverage has already begun, having kicked off with LIV Golf South Africa in Saudi Arabia from March 19 to 22. The season culminates with the Aramco LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship from August 27 to 30.
The agreement also sits alongside Sony’s existing 2026 broadcast deal for The International Series, co-sanctioned by LIV Golf and the Asian Tour, which provides a pathway for professional and amateur golfers into the LIV Golf League and the Majors. Taken together, the two deals give Sony and its audiences access to the full LIV Golf ecosystem, from emerging talent to the sport’s biggest names.
That roster is formidable. Subscribers can follow Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson, Sergio García and Tyrrell Hatton, among others, competing across 13 teams over 72-hole, four-round events played with LIV’s signature shotgun start, which sets all players off simultaneously across the course.
Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer and business head for sports and international at Sony Pictures Networks India, said the format was a key part of the appeal. “The league’s innovative broadcast approach accelerates pace and enhances both individual and team storylines, delivering a dynamic, action-dense viewing experience with significantly more live action than traditional golf broadcasts, all within a four-to-five-hour window,” he said, adding that the deal reinforced Sony’s commitment to delivering “mass reach and world-class sporting experiences.”
Örjan Olsson, senior vice-president for international media rights at LIV Golf, called Sony “one of India’s largest and most trusted sports broadcasters” and said securing both linear and OTT distribution “materially improves our reach, brand visibility, and long-term positioning in a crucial market.”
The deal also carries personal significance for at least one player. Anirban Lahiri, who competes for Crushers GC, called it “a big moment for golf in India.” For him, the partnership is about more than reach. “It’s also about visibility,” he said, “giving young players in India a chance to see this level of competition up close and believe they can be part of it one day.”
LIV Golf has spent four years trying to establish itself as a genuine rival to the PGA Tour, poaching big names, building team formats and seeking broadcast footholds in major markets. India, with its vast sports-hungry audience and a growing appetite for golf, is exactly the kind of market that can move the needle. Sony, with over 700 million viewers in India alone, is exactly the kind of partner that can make it happen.
The tee is set. Now LIV Golf has to deliver.
