Targeting opps presented by IPL on Viacom18 with Jio will be unmatched: Anil Jayaraj

Viacom18 has swept the digital rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the 2023-27 seasons in the e-auctions held over three days earlier this week. The network secured Package B, comprising the digital media rights for a winning bid of Rs 23,758 crore. Viacom18 has also secured Package C rights for approximately Rs 3,257.52 crore, as per industry sources, which comprise digital rights in three of the five international territories, including Asia, Canada, Australia, the Caribbean Islands, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the UK and Europe.

Commending the Viacom18 team “for their unwavering faith and support that helped us take this giant leap”, Anil Jayaraj, CEO, Sports Viacome18, in an internal mail to his team, wrote, “We successfully outbid the incumbents and all others in the above packages.”

He further said, “The focus on bidding for digital rights comprehensively comes from the core belief that our company is committed to building world-class digital platforms of the future. Our partnership with Jio gives us unparalleled access and reach to each and every Indian. Not only will we be able to build the most successful streaming company in the country, we will also, along with our other businesses, build India’s most profitable digital media and entertainment brand.”

Jayaraj affirmed that with this acquisition, Viacom18 will take India’s biggest sporting event IPL to every nook and corner of the country and make it available to every Indian consumer, “something that even television has failed to do”.

He saw this as an exceptional opportunity for all advertisers to reach a much wider, relevant, younger, fast-growing and highly-engaged audience. “The targeting and personalisation opportunities that IPL will present on Viacom18 platforms with its strategic partnership with Jio will be unmatched. We will be able to offer a compelling proposition to advertisers with better reach and targeting than any other rival and legacy platforms in the country,” Jayaraj wrote.

He also pointed out, “We launched our sports foray just ten months ago and in this short period of time we have managed to acquire several marquee rights, including Football (FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue1), Badminton, Tennis and NBA. With IPL, we have acquired the blockbuster and most high-profile cricket rights for our digital platforms and audiences globally.”

Urging his team to give their “unflinching support to become the most sought after sports network in the country”, Jayaraj concluded his mail by quoting former LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson: “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”