By Lloyd Mathias

1. IPL is much more than cricket

·  it’s a multimedia  entertainment spectacle

·   it offers a mix of cricket, business and glamour ensuring continuous action on and off the field

2. Strong audience delivery & engagement

·    it’s the single biggest media property promising unmatched reach and  delivery;

·   it offers primetime viewership with a higher Socio Economic audience skew

·   it has impact on other media as witnessed by the dip in viewership of other GECs and  fewer movie releases

·   what we have is 7 weeks of nonstop action in an other wise lull period for business

3. Great property to build brand connect… linked to one’s brand proposition

·   It offers consumer-led on-ground promotions

·  You get Corporate boxes,  trade incentives

·   There is an opportunity in the form of team merchandize

·   One can leverage IPL on social media

4. IPL’s power has been is its ability to survive unscathed despite the controversies… In fact controversies have worked to its advantage.

·   Like the sacking of Lalit Modi

·   Or the movement to South Africa in year 2

·   And the Sahara stand-off last year

·   And of course the termination of 2 franchisees – Kochi & Hyderabad & the subsequent refranchise of Hyderabad

5. India biggest passions all under one roof:

·   Cricket (yup it’s still cricket) and some remarkable talent discovery has happened through IPL – where did you first hear of Valthaty; Asnodkar; Bisla – not at the Ranji Trophy surely?

·   Glamour (Bollywood stars; business czars & other glitterati)

·   Controversy (scandals; brawls on & off the field)

Lloyd Mathias is Founder-Director, GreenBean Ventures. He was formerly CMO of Motorola and Tata Teleservices.