IPL 2025: $600 Million Ad Revenue Boom Driven by JioStar Merger

In 2025, the advertising money from both TV and online for the Indian Premier League (IPL) is expected to hit a whopping $600 million! This is an increase of over 50% compared to 2024. Media Partners Asia (MPA) says this big jump happened because Star (TV) and JioCinema (online) have joined forces under Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) through a huge $8.5 billion merger called JioStar.

By combining their resources, they can target audiences better and make advertising much more effective. Together, they have a combined TV and online viewership of 500 million people. In 2024, the advertising reach was less effective because there were too many platforms. But now, JioStar has made everything more integrated, improving how they show ads and create content—leading to better profits.

The rise in pay-TV subscriptions, more people using mobile phones, and the popularity of Connected TVs (CTVs) have also played a big role in this growth. In 2025, JioStar gained 3.5 million new pay-TV subscribers, with 1.5 million joining during the IPL season, thanks to support from cable partners and Airtel. The number of CTV households has increased from 25 million to 35 million in just one year and is expected to hit 50 million by December.

Forty different types of advertisers joined in for the season, with many coming from fantasy gaming and food and beverage brands. The technology on Hotstar has improved the user experience, making it easier for viewers to find content they like.

JioStar leads the market for subscription video on demand (SVOD) in India with 250 million paying subscribers—35% pay directly, while 65% come through telco bundles. This number is likely to reach 300 million before the IPL final in May 2025. The average revenue per user (ARPU) is estimated at $0.45 per month.

To keep subscribers after the IPL, JioStar is preparing a variety of exciting cricket, Hindi, regional TV shows, and international content from major companies like Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and Paramount. Although new short shows are popular, keeping subscribers long-term will depend on the pricing and quality of the content.

Even with the challenges in the economy, JioStar’s combined approach is showing strong business growth and moving towards making profits. MPA notes that profits will also depend on branching out from cricket and reducing subscriber drop-off. MPA estimates there are 150 million active, engaged paying subscribers, which is now the key measure of success for JioStar in 2025.