The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 opening was a phenomenal success for official broadcasters Disney Star as they achieved their highest-ever watch time for a single game. The event included a star-studded opening ceremony and a thrilling match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, capturing a total of 1276 crore minutes of watch time on the first day.
In a press release, Disney Star revealed that 16.8 crore unique viewers tuned in to watch the broadcast of TATA IPL 2024 on Day 1, making it a significant milestone in viewership. The Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) disclosed that a total of 6.1 crore viewers watched the opening day of IPL 2024 simultaneously, highlighting the immense popularity of the event.
One of the standout features of this year's IPL opening was the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence technology, enabling international experts to interact with fans in their native languages. The unfiltered captain's version, where eight out of the 10 captains shared their raw emotions, contributed to the highest-ever peak TV concurrency for an IPL Opening Day.
While Disney Star's broadcast garnered massive viewership, digital platforms like JioCinema also saw substantial engagement during the IPL 2024 opening. JioCinema reported 11.3 crore viewers on the first day, marking a 51% increase compared to the previous season, with a total watch time of 660 crore minutes. The successful integration of technology and captivating content contributed to the overall success of the IPL 2024 opening across both traditional broadcast and digital platforms.