The numbers are indeed impressive, be they just for the first three matches. The all-India television rating (one TVR means the telecast reaches 1 per cent of the total audience) for the inaugural match was a high 7.2, and it went up to 8.2 for the six main metros. To put this in perspective, the India-Pakistan final of the ICC Twenty20 last year was 15.6 (see table). Gushes Sneha Rajani, business head, set Max, which is telecasting the series: "The TVRs have been extremely heartening, they have been more than our expectations."
Of course, the scenario will change on weekdays. There are also big regional spikes, with Gujarat (which has no team) showing the highest ratings and team states like Andhra Pradesh and Chennai delivering low numbers. Even over the first weekend, the ratings dropped (new TV show Paanchvi Pass could cause a further dip). Media analysts feel the initial response has been driven by hype and that the TVR will settle down to anywhere between 2.5 and 4, before peaking around the end of the tournament. "Basically, it's all a lot of public relations from BCCI and the team owners. Everyone is trying to scale this up and make it the best thing since sliced bread," argues Meenakshi Madhwani, CEO of media audit firm Spatial Access. Adds Vanita Kohli-Khandekar, media consultant: "I don't see people going cuckoo. It hasn't settled."
Viewer interest in India ODIs has been declining for the past couple of years. Will IPL change things? Consistent IPL critic Sandeep Goyal, chairman, Dentsu India, has quickly switched sides: "This is going to become a bigger animal. Before it started, I gave it a 50:50 chance, but the response has changed my views." As the promoter of a fast-growing TV group puts it, "IPL may not be heart-stopping and compulsive, but it's default viewing. Everyone across prime-time will be hit." There's no doubt IPL has made a mark. In many senses, that was pre-ordained. The hard work begins in the middle overs.
