New Delhi: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa was a massive hit with viewers, recording a staggering peak concurrent viewership of 5.3 crore on Disney+ Hotstar, the official streaming platform for the tournament. This number dwarfs the earlier high of 2.9 crore concurrent viewers who tuned in for the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash.
While official viewership figures remain unreleased, the high peak concurrency for the India-South Africa final reflects the captivating nature of the match, especially considering India’s thrilling victory that ended a 13-year wait for a T20 World Cup title.
Interestingly, the final between India and Australia in the 50-over format World Cup earlier this year garnered an even higher peak concurrency of 5.9 crore viewers. This highlights the enduring popularity of ODI cricket among Indian audiences.
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The record-breaking viewership numbers are a boon for Disney Star, which secured the broadcasting rights for the T20 World Cup. Notably, this edition of the tournament saw the highest participation ever, featuring 20 teams and a total of 55 matches.
To capitalize on this massive viewership potential, Disney Star implemented a tiered ad pricing strategy. The asking price for advertisements across all matches (both standard definition and high definition) stood at a substantial Rs 6.40 lakh. Key matches received an even higher premium, priced at Rs 11.25 lakh. Finally, the marquee India matches, knockout stages, and prime-time slots commanded the highest ad rates, reaching Rs 13.80 lakh.
Expressing his delight at the viewership milestone, Sajith Sivanandan, Head of Disney+ Hotstar India, congratulated both teams for their exceptional performances. He further emphasized the company’s pride in bringing these thrilling moments to the homes of millions of fans. The record-breaking peak concurrency of 5.3 crore viewers, according to Sivanandan, signifies the unwavering passion of Indian cricket fans and the platform’s successful efforts in live sports streaming.
