ICC Champions Trophy: Cricket biggest stage, your brand’s biggest spotlight

Cricket’s iconic ICC Champions Trophy makes its much-awaited return after seven years. India, Australia, England, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh—will compete in a high-stakes battle to crown a champion of champions. The spotlight shines brightest on Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar, with ICC events breaching viewership records over the last couple of years.

The highly anticipated Champions Trophy represents an unmatched opportunity for brands to engage with a massive, highly invested audience especially keeping in mind prime time scheduling of the matches.

The official broadcast and streaming partners for ICC events – Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar have set benchmarks with record-breaking events like the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which drew 530 million viewers on TV and 550 million viewers on digital while the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 drew 404 million viewers and 380 million viewers respectively. The ICC Champions Trophy is set to build on this legacy, with the crème de la crème of international cricket facing off in what is being touted as a World Cup of Champions.

Champions Trophy: The ultimate viewer magnet

The upcoming ICC Champions Trophy promises to be a marketer’s delight, featuring only the best of the best in world cricket, where every match feels like a high-stakes knockout. Building on the phenomenal success of the last ICC ODI event—one of the biggest cricketing spectacles of all time—the Champions Trophy offers unparalleled opportunities for advertisers across both TV and Digital to connect with a massive and engaged audience.

During the last ICC ODI event, India and knockout matches averaged a staggering 180 million viewers per match. Even top clashes between the top 8 teams participating in the ICC Champions Trophy during the 2023 Cricket World Cup averaged a remarkable 130 million viewers—exceeding the aggregated reach of full season of content across other television genres. The audience engagement numbers are equally impressive: India and knockout matches recorded an average watch-time of 113 minutes per game, while matches between top teams maintained a solid average of 85 minutes.

In terms of digital streaming, 70% of viewers tuned in for non-India matches, with these matches reaching 4.5X more viewers than any other content genre.

But the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, an event that can unite the nation in a way few moments can. With both teams in the same group, this matchup is set to deliver record-breaking viewership and unparalleled engagement, making the ICC Champions Trophy a can’t-miss opportunity for brands looking to scale their reach and impact.

ICC Events on HD and CTV: The largest aggregation of affluent viewers

Major cricket events over the last two years have unlocked the potential of HD and CTV in reaching truly affluent audiences. While HD households watching major cricket events stand at 77 million as per BARC, CTV has grown to a massive 50 million households as per industry reports, with 70-80% of total CTV users in India tuning in for major cricket events held recently. While CTV inventory has sold out across recent major cricket events, TV too has witnessed 41% increase in premium brand participation with HD leading the way owing to its massive scale.

For fans, it’s one of the biggest sporting events on the calendar. For brands, it’s a chance to make an indelible mark on millions of engaged viewers.

The stage is set. Are you ready to make your mark?