Brands in a bind: Champions Trophy or bowling out for IPL?

After a gap of eight years, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is bringing back the ‘mini World Cup’- Champions Trophy. Scheduled from February 19 to March 9, cricket enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for the tournament. It is one of the most watched tournaments and is said to garner the highest buzz after the World Cup. However, brands are still in a dilemma whether to be a part of the cricket extravaganza or not. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to begin on March 14, brands with a limited budget in Q4 have a tough call to make. 

Mansi Datta, chief strategy officer, Wavemaker India, suggests that advertisers can choose between the shorter, lower-cost Champions Trophy or the longer, higher-cost IPL over two months, as the Champions Trophy includes 15 matches, with India playing only three matches, while the IPL will feature 74 matches.

“The eight-year gap heightens excitement, reigniting interest in the 50-over format. With India in strong form following their T20 World Cup win in 2024, they are among the favourites, making the tournament even more enticing for fans and brands alike,” she says. 

Datta says the tournament would be appealing for many sectors like insurance, which see a peak in sales during the Jan-Mar period offering targeted impact at the right time. 

Shradha Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, Grapes Digital, says brands are skeptical about the Champions Trophy's impact, as the IPL and World Cup have overshadowed its buzz over the past eight years. While eager to participate, brands are cautious about the potential results.

“Brands are now having to decide how to allocate their budgets, given their limitations. So many brands interested in the ICC Champions Trophy are pulling budgets from the IPL, as they can't afford to participate in both tournaments.”

Shradha Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, Grapes Digital

Agarwal feels ICC should have scheduled the event a month earlier than the IPL. Expecting brands to allocate budgets on such short notice is unrealistic, as marketing budgets aren't adjusted on the fly—except for companies with substantial reserves. 

Brand budgets are typically allocated early, often finalised by Q1. By Q3, most spending is done, leaving little room for adjustments in Q4. Moreover, Q4 is already packed with events like the Delhi elections, Valentine’s Day, Women’s Day, and Holi, making sudden budget reallocations even more difficult.

“The ICC's planning seems rushed. Quarter 2 ad expenditure results already showed a significant dip, possibly due to market uncertainties and speculation of a downturn. While we await Quarter 3 AdEx results, this could have been better managed. Announcing the event so abruptly put unnecessary strain on stakeholders,” she says.

Deleise Ross, senior VP, Mudramax, says this tournament holds a special place due to its high stakes format, featuring only the top teams in a condensed competition. 

The tournament offers memorable moments and classic rivalries like India versus Pakistan, which brands see as great opportunities to ride on, she adds.

Meghna Muthappa, ITW.io's national sales head, cites India's recent success in the 50-over World Cup and T20 version as a significant opportunity for brands to capitalise on this opportunity, especially those that may have missed out last year.

“For brands the Champions Trophy presents a unique opportunity to engage with cricket fans especially at the start of a new year and acts as an ideal springboard for campaigns that build up to the IPL and ensure visibility and impact. So in that sense it is certainly exciting and presents a longer runway than usual for 2025,” she says.

As expected, the India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for February 23, will be the most viewed and most talked about. Muthappa says these matches may probably approach two times of the standard rates.

“Matches featuring India come at a premium ranging to 40%-60% higher than non India matches. Typically on digital since packages are clubbed by matches a one off match isn’t typically what advertisers go for, however there is no denying that India vs Pakistan is the big ticket draw in the tournament."

Meghna Muthappa, national sales head, ITW.io

The uncertainty surrounding India's participation in the tournament ended three weeks ago. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to a hybrid model for the upcoming Indian cricket tournament in Pakistan, with India playing matches in Dubai and the finals potentially taking place in either Dubai or Lahore. 

Datta says these adjustments have helped alleviate advertisers' concerns.

First ICC tournament post-merger

The matches will stream on Disney+ Hotstar and air on Star Sports. It is unclear if the matches can be streamed freely on mobile devices, like some previous tournaments in the past. Champions Trophy will be the first major cricket tournament that the network broadcasts post its merger with Reliance’s Viacom18. 

Ross expects the viewership to increase since the might of two giants will come together. The partnership could bring in a larger regional focus, with matches broadcast in a wider variety of Indian languages. This could make the Champions Trophy more accessible and enjoyable for fans from diverse linguistic backgrounds. 

“As of now there is no noticeable change in either rates or the way ad slots are sold but may be after this first tournament learnings may be generated and IPL may look different. But that again is just an assumption.”

Deleise Ross, senior VP, Mudramax

Muthappa says to external stakeholders there is not much difference in the approach or execution. 

CTV audience

India's CTV adoption is doubling in five years, with 45 million households owning it—a four-fold increase. This growth, especially among affluent urban Indians, presents a target for marketers.

Datta says the rise of CTV creates a two-tiered media landscape, with affluent consumers migrating to digital platforms.

“The Champions Trophy on CTV is expected to attract high viewership from this affluent segment. Since cricket is a co-viewing sport, it also helps brands drive emotional connections and deeper engagement. It also allows for more refined and effective advertising strategies, with CTV offering precise audience targeting based on demographics and geo-locations.” 

Mansi Datta, chief strategy officer, Wavemaker India

Muthappa says considering that CTV has seen a 117% growth between 2022 and 2023, it is likely to see a significant increase in this tournament.