IPL clocks 3.8 TVRs across first five matches

Despite many controversies, the popularity of the Indian Premier League remains unfazed. The current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), too, has attracted its own set of news, including DLF parting ways with the tourney and Pepsi coming on-board, Sun Network buying out the Hyderabad IPL franchise and the launch of Fantasy League, amongst others. Nonetheless, the viewership numbers of the first five matches of the current season do not reveal any significant change vis-a-vis the corresponding figures of the first six matches (launch week) of IPL, 2012.

IPL Season 6 has garnered 3.8 TVRs on an average across the first five matches.

The third match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Pune Warriors India clocked 3.7 TVRs; the fourth match scored the lowest (2.1 TVRs), played between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils. The last match of the opening week of IPL Season 6 garnered 4.5 TVRs (Mumbai Indians versus Chennai Super Kings).

It is interesting to note that the most viewed matches were played at 8 pm, which is bang in the middle of primetime for Indian television. Obviously, Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) lost a chunk of their viewership pie in the launch week (Week 14) of IPL Season 6.

It may be noted that though the Hindi GECs cater to the Hindi speaking markets (HSM) only, IPL caters to the all India audience. If one considers the performance of the tourney in the HSM space, the average of the first five matches stands at 4 TVRs. The opening ceremony clocked 2 TVRs, while the first match between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders clocked 4.5 TVRs in HSM.

The third match garnered 3.9 TVRs in HSM, while the fourth match (Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils) scored the lowest (2.2 TVRs). The last match of the opening week of IPL Season 6 garnered 4.6 TVRs.

Neeraj Vyas, EVP and business head, SET Max mentions that this year, the change in the landscape is a little tricky. "Within the digital households, SET Max increased its numbers from 115 GRPs to 235 GRPs, across these matches. At the same time, the expansion of the TAM universe is also creating problems."

For the record, the channel's IPL property Extraa Innings has also garnered 1.1 TVRs (All India) in the first week. This is close to last year's 1.2 TVRs clocked by the show. This year, the show gained 1.2 TVRs in the HSM space.

Last year, the first six matches (first week) of IPL Season 5 averaged at 3.8 TVRs.

It must be noted that the ratings of the current edition of the tournament are cumulative of SET Max and Sony Six, whereas for the previous year, the ratings were only for SET Max.