Has the failure of Indian Cricket icons affected the rating of IPL ?
The Indian Premier League, considered the biggest and most successful T20 league globally, has been flourishing significantly since its inaugural in 2008. With every new season, its viewership touches new heights as more and more fans tune in to watch the action unfold, either in front of their television sets or OTT platforms.
IPL 2022 : TV rating down by 30%Apart from attracting billions of eyeballs, the league has also filled the coffers of BCCI, the franchises, and the broadcasters, as the league has the fourth most expensive broadcasting rights in the world. This can determine the grandeur of the league.
A massive drop in the ratings of the league this year!
However, the fifteenth edition of IPL has not met the expectations till now. The rating of the league has dropped drastically this year. The fandom of the tournament has taken a hit this season, with TV viewership falling sharply. According to data, there has been a drop of 12-17 percent in week two as compared to week one, and the overall reach of the league is down by 14 percent.
There are multiple reasons for the poor rating of the league this year; however, the failure of the prime Indian cricket icons has been considered one of the significant reasons. The league is famed for its massive craze among people; it is also known for some great cricketers displaying their potential as they carry colossal brand value for the game. These cricketers are an essential attraction of the league, and the fans love to see them performing on this platform. However, many reputed cricketers have disappointed fans with their poor performances this season. The excitement and thrills seen earlier, along with outstanding performances of the star cricketers, have faded currently. This is one of the prime reasons why people have lost interest in watching the matches.
Failure of some big names of Indian cricket in IPL 2022
IPL 2022 has given us many surprises this season. Some young emerging cricketers showcased their talent brilliantly, whereas some big names failed to meet the expectations. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the two big names of Indian cricket, failed to provide justice to their reputation this season. The two are known for their consistency and mastery of the game; however, they have been seen struggling throughout the tournament till now. The two cricketer's disappointing performances have been a nightmare not only for them but also for their fans too!
Along with them, another big name that disappointed all the expectations is Ravindra Jadeja. This is the first year for the skipper as CSK's captain, although his performance has been seen dipping. Jadeja has failed to make an impact with the bat and bowl, unlike he did every year.
RPG Enterprises boss Harsh Goenka tweeted, "Why IPL TV ratings are down:
- the crowd favorites MI and CSK playing poor
- heroes like Virat, Dhoni, Rohit haven't fired yet
- more matches causing fatigue
- all matches in the Mumbai region (fan engagement lower)
- after 2 years of watching TV, people prefer to go out."
As these icons of Indian cricket have failed to meet their expectations, many fans lacked interest in the league. Consequently, the ratings of this grand league have fallen tremendously, the failure of these stars possibly being one of the many reasons for this downfall. As these cricketers have huge fanbases, their poor performance has disappointed many.
Few other reasons impacting viewership
Cricket fatigue can be one of the other reasons. The gap between the fourteenth and fifteenth editions has been less than six months. Restrictions on venues and matches impose another impact on viewers who lack interest. Apart from that, the shuffle in teams in this edition has affected the fan base's loyalty, creating a dilemma of cheering for their favorite player or franchise.
"There are too many changes in the teams, so it looks like there is no player loyalty. Only the likes of (MS) Dhoni stayed with the same franchise for 15 years. To build stickiness and loyalty, the franchises have to have much lesser player attrition. Most of the better overseas players are no longer playing the IPL. That also is a big downer," said Sandeep Goyal, managing director of Rediffusion.
The two newly formed franchises, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, although performing well but have a very negligible connection with the fans. Too many changes in a single edition, in addition to the failure of performance by star players, have resulted in a low rating of IPL 2022. The dropping rating is turning out to be a big concern for BCCI and Broadcasters as the capital invested in the league is huge, and even the slightest downfall impacts them tremendously.