IPL: Instant Publicity Licence

What pops into your head when you hear the word IPL?

Let me guess for you.

RCB, mighty sixes, nail-biting climaxes, funny-yet-creative IPl-themed advertisements, sponsors, fat paychecks of those sought-after players, dog-eat-dog rivalries between teams CSK and MI, etc. Depending on your inclination, you may pick one or the other or a few.

Tata IPL Trophy 2022Tata IPL Trophy 2022

But the IPL (Indian Premier League) is more significant than we think. I was seven years old when the IPL started. It was like Diwali for the cricket fans. As my Naanu (maternal grandfather) was such a sports fan, I had to see matches the whole day despite my interest in cartoons. But as time went by, IPL matches had generated such a deep interest in cricket that I haven’t missed a single season or tournament after that. That 158* from Brendon McCullum made me a hardcore cricket fan. Even as I grew up, I have seen many controversies, new entrants, and head-turning decisions in the IPL, which gave me the idea to write this article.

So what is IPL? Is it just cricket or more than that? Why is every game so fun to watch? Is it because it is scripted like a soap opera? Why do so many companies pump money into the IPL? You will find answers to such questions in this article.

Marketing Consultant Prernaa recently asked people what made them believe that IPL matches are fixed.

While a section of IPL fans batted for the league’s genuineness, some avoided beating around the bush. “IPL is a money-making machine. It is a choreographed cricket entertainment and nothing else,” a Twitterati said.

 

 

Tweets by fans on the topic of IPL fixings

Despite the ifs and buts around IPL, fence-sitters like me are glued to the TV sets and mobile phones during every IPL season, thanks to our love for cricket, specific players, and distinctive shots!

First, let me tell you some facts:

  • IPL is the world’s most famous cricket league, ranking 6th among all sports leagues in regular attendance in 2014.
  • IPL’s brand value in 2019 was Rs 47,500 crore, according to Duff & Phelps.
  • BCCI said the 2015 IPL season brought Rs 1,150 crores to India’s coffers.
  • With 3.15- crore average impressions and a 23- percent increase in overall consumption over the 2019 season, the 2020 IPL season broke the previous viewership record.

So let’s start from scratch. IPL is a Twenty-20 cricket tournament league created to encourage cricket in India and develop young and skilled players. The tournament is an annual competition between teams representing different Indian cities/states. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) founded it, and it has since grown into a massive, lucrative cricket endeavor.

After all this success, why does IPL have a lousy image? Let’s dig deeper.

After the enormous covid impact, the IPL is in its 15th season, and it is more successful than ever before. Essentially, the IPL entails financial investment, sportsmanship, devotion towards a city/state, and a large fan base. Consequently, the result of each match becomes highly crucial to all parties involved. Every game is nothing short of a nerve-racking thriller flick. The uncertainty is the fruit of the league’s complicated regulations, a team’s luck (toss, for example), and the players’ abilities and performances on a particular day.

One could say that IPL is India’s most recent and exciting “24-hour reality television show”.

A quick look back at the league can bring a lot of boiling points back to the discussion.

To name a few:

  • There were/are annual broadcast rights struggles between media giants.
  • There were actors vs. actresses and brothers vs. brothers in the exact match.
  • A star captain chastised his team in front of the press, only to be sent back to the pavilion for just ten runs in the next game he played.
  • Two states mulled banning cheerleaders for their “obscene” dressing.

Let me tell you, or I can say, recall the significant controversies hovering over IPL for the past few years,

1. BCCI: As a result of the IPL, the BCCI has been embroiled in numerous disputes with different cricket authorities worldwide. The critical point of debate was that the contractual players ought to be available for international tours for their country, even if they conflict with the IPL season. The BCCI proposed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) set aside a specific time frame for the IPL season. At a subsequent meeting of the ICC, this request was denied.

2. Media restrictions: The IPL initially imposed strict guidelines for journalists covering matches. The use of photos captured during the event had to be acquired from cricket.com, controlled by Live Current Media Inc (who secured the rights to use such images), and live broadcasts from the cricket fields were prohibited. The IPL published a revised set of guidelines on April 15, 2008, including essential concessions for print media and agencies, which the Indian Newspaper Society approved.
Other controversies were the withdrawal of the Pune Warriors and Pakistan players from IPL during Ind-Pak tensions. There are numerous financial disputes concerning IPL, but I will focus on the major ones here.

3. About tax exemption status: The Centre sparked a controversy when it granted tax exemption to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on money produced from the then just-concluded World Cup Cricket Tournament, potentially worth 45 crores. Others involve the suspension of Lalit Modi and two franchises — CSK and RR.

4. Player corruption scandals: Fixing demons are a significant embarrassment for the IPL. The public outcry over match-fixing in 2012-13 was felt across the country. Games that went down to the last overs were put under the microscope by ardent cricket fans as questions about the validity of such games arose.

Former Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar, cheerleaders, and Former Indian bowler Sreesanth.

Former Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar, cheerleaders, and Former Indian bowler Sreesanth.

Many fans who had been watching IPL for decades had already quit watching it, and even though no more match-fixing incidents were reported in the news, the rumours persisted.

5. Commercialization vs. development of local talents: The IPL was supposed to provide more opportunities for Indian uncapped players to play alongside world-class foreign players, but it turns out that team managements are more concerned with selecting winning teams than with offering more chances to youngsters who have been warming the bench for years. Ricky Bhui (a good Andhra talent) and Baba Aparajith, a previous U-19 World Cup winner, are just two examples.

6. The humongous flow of cash via betting: We might still argue about the match-rigging part, but there is no doubt when it comes to the existence of betting. This has been a severe issue for the league, possibly even more so than the demons of fixing. For their alleged involvement in betting, two teams (Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals) were given a two-year suspension.

As you have seen, it’s easy to find faults with the IPL, but the league also bears fruit. Find them below.

1. Entertaining Medium for People: IPL has been the most popular form of entertainment during the COVID19-induced lockdown times, allowing Indians to enjoy cricket without leaving their homes, excite their children, and relax after long days of WFH days. IPL’s gaining popularity in other nations proves its entertaining capability.

"Universe Boss,” after hitting 175*

“Universe Boss,” after hitting 175*

For example, RCB’s nerves are in MI’s performance in the last qualifier matches this IPL season. At the same time, India was waiting for the result of MI VS DC. It was the top news for the whole day until Tim David made it his show in the last few overs.

Tim-David's-statement

Tim David’s statement after the fabulous performance in MI vs. DC

2. Best Platform for New Faces (Cricketers): IPL is the leading and most prominent platform for emerging cricketers in cricket. Every year, fresh faces are introduced. They are also being selected for the Indian cricket squad. To date, the IPL has produced several notable cricketers. Cricketers, including Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Shivam Dubey, Abdul Samad, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, and Yashaswi Jaiswal, got a fair share of popularity and money from the league.

Umran-Malik

New Indian bullet- Umran Malik

3. Adds Revenue to the Economy: As mentioned earlier, IPL contributes to India’s GDP. For example, the 2015 IPL edition contributed around 1,150 crores INR to the nation’s GDP.

Let us deep-dive into the finance of IPL, and see how IPL makes money. Their primary sources of income are,

  1. Broadcasting
  2. Ticket Sales/Gate Revenue
  3. Sponsorship
  4. Brand value

how-ipl-generates-money

Decoding IPL revenues by IPL math

Title Sponsorship:

DLF, India’s largest real estate developer, was IPL’s title sponsor from 2008 to 2012, followed by a four-year term by PepsiCo, a multinational food, snacking, and beverage conglomerate, and Chinese smartphone maker Vivo from 2016 to 2017. Dream11 has been selected as the sponsor for the 2020 IPL. Since the 2021 IPL season, Tata Group, an Indian global conglomerate, has sponsored the league.

Brand value:

Financial experts estimated the IPL to be worth 37,000 crores in 2018. According to Duff & Phelps, the figure for 2019 was Rs 47,500 crore. Signing a new television agreement with Star India Private Limited, which has more spectators because the IPL is being broadcasted on regional networks in eight languages, contributed to the IPL’s rapid development in value.

Ticket Sales/Gate Revenue:

Each club is guaranteed a minimum of seven home games, giving them a fair chance to make money. The percentage of ticket revenue earnings is roughly 10% of IPL’s economy. The home team receives a fixed rate of overall ticket sales, while all IPL club owners profit from ticket sales.

Broadcasting:

Star aims to broaden the popularity of the IPL with a “core” cricket fanbase during its initial season. From January till the start of this season, the network planned to air at least 2 hours of IPL-related programs every day, including televised declarations of player retention and new team captains. The player auction’s viewership climbed sixfold to 4.65 crores, with pre-and post-auction comments and commentary.

Live broadcast by Star Sports

Live broadcast by Star Sports

2019 finals had surpassed all previous records, with 1.86 million simultaneous streaming viewers. Hotstar’s rebranding as Disney+ Hotstar was initially planned to coincide with the start of the 2020 season. The next cycle of IPL media rights will begin in 2023. Companies such as Amazon, a consortium between Sony Pictures Networks and Zee (which are in the process of merging), and a group led by Reliance Industries that involves its local partner Paramount (formerly Viacom), Comcast, and James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems have reportedly expressed interest in bidding.

From the benefits of IPL to its economy, we have carried out an extensive study of why IPL is so successful and mighty in terms of cash flow and money-making. Now, let us discuss how Content marketing is making its way to IPL and achieving a mammoth reach through various mediums.

How has IPL Changed the Face of Digital Marketing:

What is the most common thing during the IPL season, aside from the players?- Blue Colour? Glamour factor?

Advertisements are the solution to this situation.

IPL is one of the most popular platforms for marketing (both online and offline). With billboards, player jerseys, stumps, and grounds (Yes! They sew ad banners to the grass), the options to advertise in the IPL universe are endless. The emails bombard your inbox with discounted F&B vouchers during every IPL season. The goal of advertisers is clear. Everyone wants a slice of the pie IPL has at its disposal.

Can you guess the IPL’s Advertising Expenditure?

In an interview, Sam Balsara, a media and advertising expert, provided insights into how IPL helped increase the AdEx (digital advertising expenditure) from 1,200 crores to 2,700 crores between 2015 and 2020. Even though the first pandemic wave struck last year, leading companies spent anywhere between Rs 300 crores to Rs 2700 crores on digital advertising.
The marketing sector’s mutually-beneficial relationship with the IPL has thrived since the start; however, the league has benefited even more with the rise of digital marketing.

IPL advertising universeIPL advertising universe

Let’s look at how IPL supports digital marketing.

  • The match timings on weekdays from 7:30-11 pm and double-headers (two matches a day) on weekends make IPL a perfect place to advertise digitally.
  • The tournament’s emotional investment by supporters. The stronger the link to cricket, the more motive to endorse and buy a brand that the tournament/team supports.
  • Enough real estate to apply digital marketing tactics across TV, media platforms, and other communication channels during the IPL season.
  • Commercial advertising on social media or in cooperation with a player and subsequent social media marketing provides much-needed viewer attention to many products and brands.

I am pretty sure that after CRED’s Dravid ad, do you think CRED could have profited from IPL even if the entire globe watched cricket if they hadn’t done their advertising the way they did? No.

Let me give you some explanations based on facts!

The following brands used digital marketing during the Indian Premier League effectively. These brands effectively used digital marketing throughout IPL to up their revenues.

1. Cred

The only brand I am impressed with in the last season! Cred can think out of the box; they never went out of ideas!

CRED advertisementCRED advertisement

Throughout the IPL season, digital marketing campaigns benefit firms from various industries, including banking and electronics. According to a Forbes report, Cred, last season’s exclusive IPL associate, saw 24-lakh new customers in 2 months of the IPL. Their ads with Bappi Lahiri, Madhuri Dixit, Govinda, and Udit Narayan created new creative norms for advertising agencies: Excellent financial branding/marketing with creative talent.

2. Dream 11:

Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Pandya brothers in Dream11 ad.Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Pandya brothers in Dream11 ad.

The fantasy league brand topped 100-million registered users during the tournament, thanks to the IPL’s focused audience and Dream 11’s regional language commercials and social media/digital marketing initiatives. Because virtual fantasy sports center on live athletic events, it was an excellent chance for Dream 11 to be available at many fan touchpoints. Pitch report, toss, awarding the ‘Dream11 Game Changer of the Match’ to the player with some of the most fantasy sports points, and the like were the moments where fans connected with the brand. The company handled around eight crore queries per minute during the tournament.

3. MPL – Mobile Esports Platform:

MPL advertisementMPL advertisement

Last season, MPL hired Virat Kohli as its brand ambassador and sponsored KKR and RCB. The company’s entire customer base and other key performance indicators (KPIs) increased. The IPL has proven to be so advantageous to MPL’s ideas that if they’d had Rs 500 crore to invest in a year, they would choose to spend that on the 50 days of the IPL rather than spread it out throughout the year. During the IPL season, MPL focuses on both mobile and television marketing. Their brand campaign, which features ad flicks based on traditional Hindi proverbs, is doing well across all media in this IPL. The figures show how these brands use digital marketing to attain higher ROI during the IPL seasons. However, all collaborations that seek to thrive must always be a two-way road.

You can check down here if you want to see other advertisement campaigns!

In India, the IPL is nothing short of a big carnival. Brands frequently use this year to launch ads and attract attention.

We’ve seen huge businesses grow their brands, but what else can smaller brands be doing to differentiate themselves at this time? Who would not want to be seen during the IPL, after all?

1. A campaign based on tweets: Don’t underplay the potential of the right hashtags!

Interact with celebrities on Twitter. Unusual and funny tweets are a great way to have your brand noticed during the IPL season. The 300-character limit makes it challenging to convey your brand’s message. Remember, while not everyone can talk and influence others, a perfect influencer can!

2. Organising various competitions: One of the most successful strategies to promote brand awareness and improve value is holding a contest. Your business may attract a large audience if it generates better engagement. It’s time to strengthen your brand’s credibility through tailored messages. You may use social media networks to host polls or weekly challenge freebies to attract more visitors. Brainstorm with cricket fans on the most outstanding historical cricket moments to develop exciting contests.

3. User-generated content: In the era of digital media, engaging with consumers is critical. Thanks to their unique ideas, influencers are fantastic at engaging with consumers using user-generated content. You can, for instance, collaborate with influencers to create a range of consumer content. Suggest that they record the audience’s reaction to specific events, like run-outs and massive sixes.

4. Launching new products and services: IPL enables marketers to appeal to a broad audience. Many Indian families watch IPL matches together, even if some are not sports lovers. The game is never off!

As a result, firms can use this opportunity to introduce new products or services to their target clients and build hype. They might accomplish the same thing by working with influencers and developing a value narrative to keep consumers interested.

Anyone with access to a media platform may now create digital campaigns that engage audiences. Anyone with a solid social media plan may effectively communicate their values and message to their target audience. Specific influencers have been using Instagram accounts to forward shifts in the marketing sphere through their influence.

Let’s see how IPL is helpful in social media content marketing!

Firstly, let’s see how IPL teams are entertaining the audience out of the ground! I am no big fan of RR and SRH, but their social media team! I love them. I am presenting you with some examples of their artistic brains.

1. SRH mocked RR on Twitter since the latter made a sly dig at David Warner’s team, which had lost to the Royals the last time the two sides met.

2. Natarajan, SRH pacer, has proven to be a death bowling expert, as his toe-crushers have unsettled the finest of batters, ball after ball. In the encounter against Delhi Capitals, his brilliance was again displayed. Natarajan bowled ten yorkers in two overs, limiting DC’s chase significantly. SRH created a “Breaking Bad”-themed meme to encourage him.

 

Other than IPL teams, netizens and other brands also benefit by showing their art on every social media platform for every small event of IPL matches or events. They use every opportunity, from Maxwell’s party to Virat’s performance, RR’s team strength to MI’s magical performance, Dhoni’s retirement speculation, Rashid’s slap shots, and Hardik’s helicopter shot.

Here is an example of @theesmaarkhan’s meme on Tewatiya’s five sixes after a slow pace inning.

As per Livemint, Facebook registered 10 million mentions of the league on its site during IPL 2020, with 74 percent of users in the 18-34 age range discussing it.

Twitter, known for kicking off trends, reported a 23-percent increase in cricket-season-related conversations in 2020 compared to the previous year. According to the microblogging network, 51% of fans use Twitter to read tweets about matches, players, and news stories; 25% aim to engage with Twitter posts during the game, while 21% plan to engage afterward. Around 31% intend to view videos, while 25% decide to follow their favourite sports teams.

When it comes to Content Marketing, IPL is a goldmine for businesses where people celebrate together like a festival. Emotions overflow in these tournaments.

You have seen that IPL is not just about cricket; there is more than meets the eye.

Donald Trump’s Presidency and its Implication for India

Donald trump was elected 45th president of the United States in a stunning culmination of an explosive , populist and polarizing campaign that took relentless aim at the institutions and long held ideals of American Democracy . This was surprise outcome , defying pre-election polls that showed Hillary Clinton with a modest but persistent edge. Donald Trumps unexpected spectacular victory has raised many eye-brows across the world and there is a widespread speculation on about what will be America’s future policies and how this will impact the rest of the world.
The result’s amounted to repudiation , not only of Mrs. Clinton , but of President Obama , whose legacy is suddenly imperiled . Many psephologists view this election results as a decisive and collective demonstration of power by a largely overlooked coalition of mostly blue color white and working class voters , who felt that the promise of the United States had slipped their grasp amid decades of globalization and Multiculturalism.

It is also amazing to note contribution of Indian-American community in Donald Trump’s unexpected but spectacular victory , which sent shock-waves across the entire world . Donald Trump has acknowledged the contribution of Indian – American in his electoral triumph , saying , his victorious campaign did “great with the Hindus .”

“We have a lot of people here tonight from the Indian community , Hindoos. We did great with the hindoos.” Trump said while addressing thousands of his supporters during a “Thank You “ rally in Orlando , Florida , the key battle where he emerged victorious. Fortnight before the elections , Trump attended a charity event organized by Republican Hindu coalition to raise funds for Hindu victims of terror in Kashmir and Bangladesh . This was the for the first time a presidential candidate attended an Indian-American event . In his address Trump pledged to work for the betterment of Indo-Us relationship and said he would be the best friend of India in White House . He praised prime minister Modi for his economic reforms and steps he has taken to remove bureaucratic red tape . Donald Trump also visited temples in Florida and Virginia .

The trump campaign also released an advertisement in which he was seen saying ,” Aab ki baar Trump Sarkar “ , copying Modi’s historic 2014 election punchline .

It goes without saying that in arena of International diplomacy the relations between Nations also largely depends on personal Chemistry between premiers of both the countries . Indo-US relationship witnessed a new low when Richard Nixon and Smt. Indira Gandhi were at the helms of affair of US and India respectively . It was largely because of personal Dislike that Richard Nixon harboured for Smt. Indira Gandhi . To the contrary world witnessed a very warm Indo-US relationship when Narendra Modi was elected Indian prime minister and Barack Obama was at the helm of affairs of United States . Both the leaders heaped much praise about one another and Modi- Obama Bromance was much widely talked about in International Media. The fine tuning of personal chemistry between both the leaders also helped in propagating mutual diplomatic goals .

Now with change of guards in Washington , the policy circles in New Delhi is already speculating as to how Donald Trump’s presidency will affect the world at large and India in particular . The statements issued by Donald trump during his high voltage election campaign had resulted into hue and cry not only in American media but it also did sent shockwaves in International media. As Donald Trump takes oath as 45th American President the World community is eagerly awaiting as to what will be the new American policy and how will it affect the world at large .
AS of 2015 , there are nearly two million Indian immigrants residing in the United States .

Every year almost 1,32,888 Indian students go to United States to pursue higher education . There is a very large Indian community in United States , and it does send a very large amount of remittance. As of 2015 , Remmitances to India stood at US$68.91 billion , accounting for over 4% of the country’s GDP . A total of US$8.476 billion was made in remittances by foreign workers in India to their home countries .As of 2015 , United State’s trade in private services , with India (exports and imports ) tottaled US$30 billion.

Services exports were US$12 billion , services imports were US$19 billion . Today India is $100 billion IT power house . It makes up 7.5 percent of India’s GDP . A lot of this business depends on outsourcing by IT giants of the United States . India’s IT-BPM sector accounted for 56 percent of the world market in 2015 . A major chunk of these outsourcing pours from US IT giants . The H-1B is non-immigrant visa in United States . It allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers . As of 2016 over 10 million Indian professionals are working in United States on H-1B visas.

It goes without saying that Donald Trump’s policy cannot be seen in isolation and it will have significant effect on India also . India , like other major powers , will have to carefully monitor how the Obama legacy morphs into the Trump inheritance and the degree of continuity in past policies .

Trump during his high volatage election campaign had bitterly criticized United State’s H-1B visa policy and outsourcing of jobs by US companies . Now going exactly by his words Trump introduced H-1B visa Reform Bill in U.S. House of Representatives , that will effectly cut down the number of H-1B visa entrants into United States . This legislation has been introduced to more than double the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders from the current figure of $60,000 to $1,30,000 .

While on the face of it , this looks good , this move was made in a bid to stop American firms from hiring less expensive foreign labour , including from India . The biggest benificiaries of H-1B visas are Indians followed by Chineese. In 2014 , 70% of total H-1B petitions approved were from India . Nearly 86% of the H-1B visa’s issued for workers in computer occupation go to Indian workers . Indian Outsourcing firms such as Infosys , Wipro , Tata Consultancy services, will be badly hit . This move of Donald Trump is going to for sure adversely affect India .
During the election campaign of Donald Trump one thing that caught media attention was Trump’s promise to reduce the U.S. corporate tax from 35 percent to 15 percent . Now this if actually done could result in companies like Ford , GM , and Microsoft rushing back to the United States . This rush of US firms will be a jolt to Modi’s Make in India push.

Trump during his election campaign had taken a very strong stand against fundamental Islamic terrorist groups. Further Trump discredited Pakistan by calling it a “safe-heaven” for terrorists . Trump during his entire election campaign had been very vocal about terrorism. Then there’s the fact that Trump has openly expressed dislike for Pakistan . He’s really suspicious of the country. “India is the check to Pakistan ,” he once said in an interview , reportedly. “ You have to get India involved … They have their own Nukes and have a very powerful army . They seem to be the real check.” This distrust for Pakistan can work in India’s and World’s favor.

Personal chemistry between leaders also play a major role in defining relations between countries. Donald trump had publicly praised Narendra Modi and his economic policies . Donald trump has also heaped much praise about Hindu community and also expressed his admiration for their entrepreneurial skills.

“The Hindu community has made fantastic contributions to world civilization and to American culture and we look forward to celebrating our shared values of free enterprise , hard work , family values , and a strong American foreign policy,” Trump said in a statement . Time will only tell how much of this political rhetoric is turned into reality . But it can be said without doubt if these positive attitude of Donald Trump towards Narendra Modi and Hindu community continues after he assumes the office of President , it will provide a great boost to Indo-US relationships .

Further Donald Trump’s strong stand against China and repeated criticism of China during his entire election campaign is also seen as a plus point for India by diplomatic circles in New Delhi . During his campaign Trump often targeted the policies of Chinese government , blaming them for loss of jobs in America. He discredited China of being national currency manipulator . Trump also severely criticized China’s expansionist policy. Many foreign experts believe Washington needs India to counter China’s growing dominance in Asia. Well this situation can be exploited to cement a strong Indo-US ties , in order to confront China and put limitations to it’s expansionist policy .
There has already been much speculation as to how Donald Trump’s presidency will have it’s implication for India. Many experts believe that it will be a mix-bag of implications . But time can only tell what will be Donald Trump’s policies and how will it impact world at large and India in particular . Till then keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best .