IPL Governing Council Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal spoke about the remarkable financial growth of the tournament. Dhubman said that the IPL has become the world's richest cricket league because of its fan following, strong commercial value, and unprecedented rise in global media rights since its inception.
The current IPL media rights cycle (2023-2027) is worth a massive Rs 48,390 crore after the television and digital rights were sold separately. The league's financial growth has been remarkable, with media rights increasing from Rs 8,200 crore during 2008-2017 to Rs 16,347 crore in the 2018-2022 cycle.
I Am Very Sure That The Same Ride Will Continue - Arun Dhumal
During a recent interview with TimesofIndia.com, Arun Dhumal stated that the IPL's media rights value has grown over the last 18 years. He said that the league has witnessed remarkable financial growth and remains confident that the trend will continue.
“If you see the kind of exponential growth that IPL media rights have witnessed since its inception, it has been phenomenal. We started with about Rs 8,200 crore for 10 years (2008-17). In the next five-year cycle (2018-22), the rights were sold for Rs 16,347 crore. And in the current cycle (2023-27), the IPL media rights were sold for Rs 48,390 crore over five years,” Dhumal said.
“I am very sure that the same ride will continue, given the kind of engagement we have had with fans and the traction this tournament has generated so far. The same trend will continue. You would also have seen the two recent deals involving Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which are currently under process,” he added.
No Other Business Would Have Delivered A 20-Fold Return - Arun Dhumal
The IPL chairman said that no other major sports property has delivered such strong returns in such a short period. He credited the league's success to India's passion for cricket and the highly competitive nature of IPL matches, which keep fans engaged throughout the tournament.
“There is no other property, especially a sports property, that has delivered this kind of return in such a short span. It took decades for the National Football League (NFL) to become what it is today. In these last 18 years, the kind of return on investment the IPL has generated has been phenomenal,” he said.
“No other business would have delivered a 20-fold return in a period of around 18 years. India is also a unique country. Cricket is the one sport and one religion that binds the entire nation together. And the USP of the IPL, in my opinion, is the quality of games it produces. So many matches go down to the wire and, in a 3.5-hour game, every ball becomes an event. Given that kind of traction, I am very hopeful that we will command substantial value in the forthcoming media rights cycle.”
Under the current broadcasting agreement, Disney Star holds the television rights, while Viacom18 owns the digital streaming rights. The separate sale of these packages helped push the overall media rights value to record levels.
That Platform Has Been Provided By The IPL - Arun Dhumal
Arun Dhumal also highlighted the IPL's role in developing cricket talent in India. He said that the league has given players the platform and opportunities needed to grow, helping India build enough depth to field multiple competitive teams across different international series at the same time.
“Talent has always been there in India, but the question was how to provide players with opportunities. That platform has been provided by the IPL. Even if we have to field three different teams for three bilateral series simultaneously, India will still be competitive. That depth exists because of the IPL. I would also like to compliment all our franchise partners for their contribution over the last 18-19 years," he said
