SET MAX, broadcaster to India for the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Twenty20 format cricket tournament, is hiking its advertising spot rates.
The second leg of IPL is scheduled to be played from April 18 across eight venues in South Africa. SET MAX will telecast these matches at 4pm and 8pm, India time. SET MAX had already finalised most of its on-air sponsors for about Rs 220-230 crore.
However, media agency sources say it will soon make an upward revision in all its advertising deals, done in February, before it signed a new telecast rights contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at about double the previous deal.
“We have to make up for the increased expenses. The only way is to increase the spot rates,” a source in SET MAX said.
The channel is now looking at maximising revenues by selling the 10-second advertising spots for a premium. IPL is expected to fetch high television ratings, with the entire tournament now being played in South Africa. “SET MAX is asking for Rs 5.2 lakh for a 10-second spot that will be aired in India during prime time. This is at least 30-35 per cent more than the deals done in February,” a senior executive in a leading media agency in Gurgaon said.
The terms of previous spot deals, done in February for about Rs 120 crore in all, will also go up accordingly, the media planner said. Several agencies have been called on Monday to re-negotiate agreements for spot rates for the first 22 matches of the IPL starting April 18.