London: Cancellation of the India vs Pakistan match can be a Rs 137.5 crore blow, impacting broadcaster Star Sports and big advertisers such as Coca-Cola, Uber, OnePlus and MRF Tyres.
India vs Pakistan match is likely to be one of the most-watched matches in this World Cup. So, it’s the best opportunity for advertisers to maximise reach, but it comes at a huge cost. Star Sports is reportedly expected to earn Rs 137.5 crore from the India-Pakistan match alone through advertisements.
The rates for these slots are usually in the range of Rs 1.6-1.8 lakh per second, but for India vs Pakistan the cost has spiralled to Rs 2.5 lakh per second.
Around 40 top advertisers including Uber, Coca-Cola, Amazon, OnePlus, MRF Tyres and PhonePe have already signed up for the slots. According to media agency Carat India’s senior executive Vinita Pachisia, there might not even be enough ad inventory left with Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the tournament to be sold for the India vs Pakistan matches. The broadcaster had sold off most of the inventory much in advance, which meant the advertisers interested in last-minute booking had to pay even higher price.