FIFA World Cup has a huge FAN following in India, Indian’s usually support “Argentina” or “Brazil” during any World Cup but when it comes to viewership, every match is watched with same enthusiasm. This time FIFA matches are held in South Africa and there are some striking similarities between both FIFA and IPL-
- FIFA matches will be happen during the same timings as IPL matches i.e. during evening and late night. Which increases the chances of working class people watching it.
- Both are of same duration and filled with similar excitement.
- Both are huge in India.
Now, having such similarities has increased the hopes for ESPN in terms of advertisement revenues. In India only ESPN is eying Rs 150 Crore in Revenues from Ads. This may not be as big as IPL but if compared to last time’s world cup this is 3 times as big.
FIFA World Cup is one of the most watched sporting properties, not just in India but across the globe. Expectedly, the advertiser response has been tremendous -ESPN Software India Managing Director RC Venkateish
Now if we compare this to the Ad Revenues of IPL-2010 for Sony, this is actually nothing. Sony is supposed to have sold ads worth 700 Crores during the whole IPL season.
But owing to the fact that IPL had to earn majority of its revenues from India and moreover it was a 2 month tournament rather than one month (for FIFA), these numbers shouldn’t bother ESPN much. On an international level ESPN is going to earn huge money anyways.
But my question is whether it will really be able to get as many people to watch Soccer as IPL made them watch Cricket?