In what has emerged as an annual festival of cricketing greatness and supporter passion, the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) again faced off in the IPL 2024 season, and the statistics attest to why MI vs CSK IPL match is referred to as the “El Clasico” of the Indian Premier League.
From record-breaking viewership to unprecedented ad revenues, the MI vs CSK match isn’t just a cricketing rivalry – it’s a sports marketing phenomenon.
MI vs CSK IPL Match: Record-Breaking Viewership
According to BARC India (Week 15, 2024), the MI vs CSK match recorded 28.3 million TV impressions on Star Sports. But the real digital explosion came via JioCinema, which clocked an astounding 52 million unique viewers, with a peak of 52 million concurrent viewers—a record for any live-streamed sporting event in India this year.
The combined reach across TV and digital platforms was estimated at 125 million viewers, surpassing viewership for many international sporting events.
Massive Advertising Windfall
The commercial stakes were equally staggering. As per GroupM India and TAM Media estimates:
- TV ad revenue reached ₹110 crore.
- Digital platforms, led by Viacom18’s JioCinema, garnered another ₹95 crore.
- The total advertising revenue per match stood at ₹205 crore, making it one of the most lucrative single-day events in Indian advertising history.
The per-10-second ad spot on television reached ₹18 lakh, while digital CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) breached ₹300 across peak match windows.
Stadiums at Full Capacity
The match saw packed stadiums at both venues:
- Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai): 33,108 capacity – 100% occupancy.
- M. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai): 38,200 capacity – fully sold out.
With average ticket prices ranging from ₹1,500 to ₹10,000 (and premium boxes exceeding that), the matchday revenue from ticketing alone ranged between ₹8–10 crore.
Brand Blitzkrieg
Top brands including Tata, Jio, Coca-Cola, Dream11, Samsung, and Swiggy lined up with high-voltage campaigns. Notably, Swiggy launched a special “MI vs CSK delivery duel,” and Coca-Cola rolled out limited-edition team-themed bottles during the week.
Social media mirrored this frenzy, with over 240 million interactions across platforms like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. CSK’s post-match Instagram photo alone crossed 2 million likes, among the highest for any sports team globally.
Visualizing the Numbers
The chart below captures key performance indicators from the 2024 MI vs CSK showdown:
Why It’s IPL’s Crown Jewel
So why does this match command such attention?
- Legacy Teams: Both MI and CSK have won five IPL titles each.
- Fanbase: The Dhoni-Rohit rivalry brings together loyal fans across generations and geographies.
- Drama: The matches often go down to the wire, feeding the narrative of a high-stakes “El Clásico”.
Sources:
- BARC India (2024)
- Viacom18 & JioCinema Press Releases (April 2024)
- GroupM India “This Year Next Year” Report
- TAM Media Ratings (IPL 2024 Overview)
- exchange4media, Financial Express, Business Standard
Also Read: IPL 2025 Set for Big Screen Debut as PVR INOX Inks Deal with BCCI
