IPL 2023: JioCinema registers record-breaking 147 crore views on opening weekend

Jio Cinema 1. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Mumbai, April 3rd, 2023: JioCinema, the Official Digital Streaming Partner of IPL 2023, made a blockbuster debut with a stellar opening weekend. The number of video viewers for the first weekend ALONE on JioCinema eclipsed what was recorded across the entire last season of IPL on digital. This was also higher than the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.

Viewers were glued to JioCinema’s fan-centric presentation as the average time spent per viewer per match touched 57 minutes. The time spent per viewer per match on JioCinema increased by over 60% compared to last season’s first weekend. JioCinema clocked over 147 Cr. video views, recording the highest-ever opening weekend for the IPL on digital.

“These numbers are exceptional and evidence of the digital revolution sweeping through the country. Digital is targetable, addressable and interactive. Unlike legacy services, measurement on digital is based on the exact number of people who come in to watch and not based on subjective extrapolation from a small sample set. The landscape for content consumption has irrevocably moved to digital and JioCinema performance this week is the biggest evidence of it,” said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj.

“What we witnessed through the opening weekend of the IPL 2023 is a testimony of the faith viewers have shown in JioCinema’s offerings to make the league more accessible, affordable, and in unique first-time cricket broadcast languages, including Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Oriya and Gujarati. I want to thank all our sponsors, advertisers, and partners for embarking with us on this journey where we strive to elevate every fan’s IPL viewing experience,” he added.

JioCinema set the tone with the season-opening clash between MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans, achieving a peak concurrency of 1.6 Cr. In addition, JioCinema registered over 2.5 Cr. downloads, a record for the most installed app in a single day.

The strong viewership – over 10 Cr. new viewers and 5 Cr. new app downloads – this weekend comes on the back of JioCinema’s extensive fan-centric features. Fans continued to lap up unique features like 4K feed, 12-language coverage, 16 unique feeds, hype mode, and multi-cam setup, among others.

After the unprecedented response to the opening weekend, JioCinema is set to release new features every week to delight fans, showcasing the power of immersive fan engagement on digital.

The record-breaking numbers are supported by customised device integration partnerships with over 500 OEM and CTV platforms, including Jio STB, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, OnePlus TV, Sony, Samsung, LG, and Xiaomi, among others. In addition, CTV viewers continue to watch the world’s most famous cricket league in 4K for the first time ever through JioCinema.

India’s favourite sporting carnival is being brought to viewers on JioCinema in 12 languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Oriya, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. Giving viewers a new way to enjoy their favourite sport, JioCinema offers four additional feeds, including The Insiders feed, Hangout feed, Fantasy feed and Fanzone feed.

More than 20 top brands have partnered with JioCinema for their digital streaming of IPL 2023, including (Co-Presenting Sponsor) Dream11, (Co-Powered) JioMart, PhonePe, Tiago EV, (Associate Sponsor) Appy Fizz, ET Money, Castrol, TVS, Oreo, Bingo, Sting, AJIO, Haier, RuPay, Louis Philippe Jeans, Amazon, Rapido, Ultra Tech Cement, Puma, Kamla Pasand, Kingfisher Power Soda, Jindal Panther TMT Rebar.

Defending champions Gujarat Titans, five-time champion Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals announced exclusive partnerships with JioCinema in the lead-up to the 2023 edition. Global cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, India’s most-celebrated cricket captain and four-time IPL winner MS Dhoni, World no. 1 T20 batsman Suryakumar Yadav and India Women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana joined hands with JioCinema to amplify their world-class, digital-first IPL presentation.