Broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports is likely to rake in about Rs 120 crore in advertising revenues from the coming Champions League T20 tournament.
The broadcaster has already signed mobile handset manufacturer Karbonn Mobiles as the title sponsor for the tournament.
As a part of the deal, Karbonn Mobiles would have the on-ground title sponsorship rights, and all its entitlements, for the current edition, set to begin in South Africa on October 9.
Negotiations with another seven to eight sponsors are in the final stages. According to media buyers, the deals are expected to be closed next week.
The broadcaster did not specify the revenue it expected from the series. Managing Director Aloke Malik said, “There is a slowdown in the media industry, with companies scrutinising and cutting down ad spends. But so far, ESPN STAR Sports has been able to meet the targets it set for itself.”
Typically, a one-day international cricket match has an inventory of 5,000 seconds, while a T20 match has 2,300-2,500 seconds of on-air time. For the India-Sri Lanka series, currently underway, the spot rates stand at about Rs 2.5 lakh.
“Our ratings have seen a steady rise from 1.5 TVR in the first edition to 2.2 TVR last year. We expect to improve our performance this year, with Pakistan sending its representation in the fourth edition,” Malik said.
In this edition of the Champions League T20 tournament, 29 matches would be played between 14 teams across four venues—Centurion, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
According to viewership data shared by ESPN STAR Sports, the tournament reached out to 77 million in its first edition. This rose 23 per cent to 95 million in 2010 and to 102 million in its last edition.
The tournament, an initiative of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, is broadcast around the world by ESPN Star Sports, which also holds the commercial rights for the event.
