Legends League remains the second most watched cricket tournament after IPL

The league's co-founders, citing viewership data sourced from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), said the tournament had an average TV rating of 0.34, representing an 80% growth in viewing time per session and a 15% increase in TVR compared to the previous session. last season.

BARC calculates reach as people who watched an event or program for at least one minute. While TVR is calculated not only based on the people who watched it, but also based on the amount of time a viewer spent on the program. This means that a 5% increase in TVR means that either 5% of the entire audience saw 100% of the program, or 100% of the audience saw 5% of the program.

In comparison, Big Bash League, which was held in a similar timeline, had a third of the TVR at 0.11, as did SA20 on Sports18. ILT20, held in the Middle East, had a higher TVR of 0.23.

In terms of sponsorship revenue, the LLC delivered a value of $176.2 million or 1,450 crore, a significant increase of 50% from the first season played in September 2022, Raman Raheja, CEO and co-owner, told Mint.

Of this, TV sponsorship contributed the most, at $117.3 million. Another $54.1 million came from OTT platforms and social media sponsorships. The rest came from print and earned media value, he added.

LLC has raised $7 million in funding since its inception in 2022.

“Legends of the game playing competitively again is a treat for Indian fans. That is why they come to watch this competition on television. Exciting matches and revival of old rivalries keep fans hooked, increasing watch time. We have become a natural second innings for these players who have retired from active cricket but can play competitive cricket. That's why we are getting a lot more viewership,” said Raheja.

According to Raheja, sponsoring cricket has become quite expensive for brands, and companies are looking at return on investment (RoI) based on how many people watch cricket and for how long.

To justify their spend, brands need better ROI from cricket than other advertising options, and that could be one of the reasons why it has gained strong sponsorship value. “Compared to all other T20 leagues in the world played in India, we stand out in terms of TVRs, reach and time commitment, and this is mainly because Indian players play competitive cricket,” he said.

Raheja points to other leagues such as SA20, ILT20 and Major League Cricket in which Indian companies have invested in owning teams. But since the BCCI does not allow active cricketers from Indian teams to participate in any private league other than the IPL, that could be a reason behind the success of this league over the others.

The LLC has retired cricketers who have returned to the field, with matches played in two different formats at different times of the year.

The first formula, LLC Masters, has an international focus and a regional formula. The retired players in this format are divided into three teams: India Maharajas, Asia Lions and World Giants. Last season it was played in Qatar.

The second format works on the basis of a franchise model. Held in India, this format features six private teams: India Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Bhilwara Kings, Manipal Tigers, Urbanrisers Hyderabad and Southern Super Stars.

Notably, the owners of the two newest teams, Urbanrisers Hyderabad and Southern Super Stars, added in October 2023, paid a sum of $15 million each to secure a nine-year franchise ownership deal.

In the last season, a total of 19 matches were played in five cities in India: Ranchi, Dehradun, Jammu, Vizag and Surat. In the final, Manipal Tigers defeated Urbanrisers Hyderabad.

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Published: Mar 26, 2024 7:30 PM IST