The 19th edition of the TATA IPL has set a new benchmark for sports broadcasting in India, with JioStar announcing that the tournament became the most-watched season in the league’s history. Driven by record-breaking viewership across television and digital platforms, the cricket fiesta reached more than 1.2 billion viewers, further cementing its position as India’s biggest sporting and entertainment event.

According to a JioStar press release yesterday, the tournament registered a 7 percent year-on-year growth in reach, while total watch-time touched an impressive 870 billion minutes. The season was marked by standout performances, emerging stars and compelling storylines that kept fans engaged throughout the tournament.

The biggest highlight of the season came with the TATA IPL 2026 Final, which saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru lift the trophy for a second consecutive year. The title clash emerged as the most-watched IPL match ever across screens, attracting more than 400 million viewers and setting a new record in the tournament’s history.

Digital consumption continued its strong upward trajectory during the season, with Connected TV emerging as the fastest-growing platform.

According to JioStar, Connected TV viewership grew by 22 percent year-on-year, reflecting the increasing convergence of television-scale reach and digital viewing experiences. Digital video views reached 25 billion, recording an 8 percent increase over the previous season.

The media firm also highlighted the growing importance of regional language content and younger audiences. Regional language watch-time on digital platforms increased by 33 percent, while affluent consumers and young viewers emerged as key contributors to overall digital growth, reinforcing the league’s ability to attract premium and future-facing audiences.

Commenting on the season’s performance, Ishan Chatterjee, CEO, Sports, JioStar, said the company focused on creating a truly integrated sports experience across platforms. He noted that the objective was not only to enable fans to watch matches but also to engage with the tournament in more personalised and interactive ways.

“TATA IPL 2026 was a season where we set out on our journey of what a truly integrated sports platform should look like. Our endeavour was to make every screen, every interaction, and every moment meaningful, so that fans are not only watching sports on our platform but also interacting with it in ways that are deeply contextual and personal,” Chatterjee said.

He added that the season’s viewership figures reflect the success of innovations introduced across platforms, particularly the communal viewing experience on Connected TV and the growing popularity of regional-language broadcasts. Chatterjee also acknowledged the support of fans, advertisers, distribution partners and the BCCI in helping deliver another landmark edition of the tournament.

JioStar’s coverage of IPL 2026 offered viewers a highly customised experience through broadcasts in 12 languages, multiple camera angles, 30 feeds and the newly introduced “Champions Wali Commentary” feature, which brought together former champions, cricket legends and leading voices from the sport.

The season also saw deeper technology integration, with OpenAI and Swiggy becoming part of the viewing experience, enabling more personalised and intuitive engagement for fans while creating contextual opportunities for brands. Reflecting strong advertiser confidence, JioStar added 125 new advertisers compared to the previous season. While 22 sponsors partnered with JioHotstar, 16 brands came on board the Star Sports Network.