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Social Media handles of Star Sports amassed over 1 billion views, reaching over 100 million unique users; 300% growth in engagement on social handles compared to IPL 2023 season

5^th June, 2024, Mumbai: Since the start of the 17th edition of the IPL, Star Sports' social media platforms have experienced an extraordinary surge in engagement, witnessing 300% growth compared to 2023 edition. Additionally, the broadcaster recorded over 1 billion views and reached out to more than 100 million unique users during the entire IPL 2024 season.

The broadcaster celebrated the cricketing festival across the nation with its multifaceted approach, providing fans with various experiences through on-ground activations and social platforms. Anchored by the Incredible Star Cast of Experts, Star Sports Believe Ambassadors and more than 2000 creators from Star Sports Creator Network, the broadcaster has woven together a myriad of engaging initiatives, embodying the essence of IPL fandom.

Starting with 'Star Nahi Far’, the broadcaster provided a unique opportunity for fans across the lengths and breadths of the country to meet their favourite IPL players and legends up close and personal. Star Sports Believe Ambassadors like Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson and cricket legends like Steve Smith and Stuart Broad among others were part of this unique initiative by Star Sports. Over 50 million unique cricket enthusiasts nationwide across 1450 cities actively participated in Star Sports’ ‘Star Nahi Far’ contest to meet more than 20 IPL stars, making it the biggest contest on Glance.

Speaking on the ‘Star Nahi Far’ initiative, Indian Cricketer Rishabh Pant said,

In another initiative, Star Sports’ “Dream Job” offered aspiring creators to be next face on Star Sports for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. This eight-week challenge during IPL 2024, around key narratives of the on-going season, garnered an overwhelming response, attracting 5,500 entries from a diverse array of participants spanning different demographics, geographies, and walks of life. Some entries gained significant attention on social media, with one reel amassing over 61 million views, highlighting the wide array of talent in the country. Overall, the Star Sports Dream Job activation was a unique initiative leveraging the digital ecosystem to discover talent that resulted in more than 310 million views. Soumi Dey Sarkar, a national-level athlete in powerlifting and a runner, has bagged the prestigious Star Sports ‘Dream Job’ following a robust selection drive during the TATA IPL 2024.

Star Sports also collaborated with over 100 top influencers across India throughout the season. There was a special match organized between creators and former cricketers under the banner of “Ajab Gajab T20 Challenge”. The match features influencers like Dharna, Abhishek Malhan, Aakash Gupta, and Viraj Ghelani playing alongside Steve Smith, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, and Ambati Rayudu. Partnerships with creators like CarryMinati and Madan Gowri added diverse content.

Speaking about his association with Star Sports for the TATA IPL 2024, CarryMinati said,

Moreover, ‘Incredible Premier League School Quiz’ ignited the passion of young cricket fans, nurturing their love for the sport and creating unique opportunities for brands targeting this enthusiastic consumer cohort. The second instalment of this quiz has attracted a record-breaking 2.1 lakh participants from over 17,000 schools.

The broadcaster has also closely worked with multiple platforms such as Meta, YouTube, Glance and Josh among others to better serve the fan. With the fan approach and regular engagements, the broadcaster has built a robust fan community of 50.9 million* fans across YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook and WhatsApp and largest sports community on WhatsApp in India with more than 15.50 million followers.