With 20% more viewers as T20 WC 2023, women’s cricket also about reach

Team India was eliminated from the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 on Monday after New Zealand beat Pakistan to reach the semifinals. India's entry to the semifinals was dependent on a Pakistan victory. 

Though the World Cup did not go well for the country, brands made the most of it in the last 10 days, since the tournament began on October 3. Coinciding with the festive season, the event gave the brands a grand stage to reach out to its audience. 

The broadcaster Disney Star onboarded 14 sponsors across linear TV and Digital platforms, including Dream11, Natural Diamond Council, OnePlus, Dazller, ICICI Bank, Asus, Asian Paints, Maruti Suzuki, Aramco, Hero, SBI, Lenskart, Kajaria, and Skechers. This was double the number of sponsors the broadcaster had in 2023 (seven). 

ASUS has associated with the Women's World Cup to reach a diverse audience, including families to enhance its market presence. It has invested in reaching the digital audience, estimating a potential reach of up to 35 million.

Paramjeet Singh, marketing head, consumer PC & gaming, Systems Group, Asus India, says this partnership aligns with its brand values of inclusion and empowerment and engagement opportunities through campaigns and collaborations with female athletes. 

“Ultimately, our involvement in this event is a strategic move that reflects our commitment to promoting diversity and supporting women in sports. This expansion will not only enhance our market presence but also foster deeper relationships with potential customers, ultimately driving brand loyalty and growth,” he says.

Its objective is to broaden its brand awareness among untapped, high-affinity target audiences. “By strategically engaging with these groups, we aim to connect with consumers who resonate with our values and offerings. 

Tareque Laskar, head- research desk, ITW Universe, says a major misconception has been shattered—the assumption that women's cricket is primarily watched by women. A substantial male audience is tuning into women's cricket as genuine cricket enthusiasts. Brands are now recognising that women's cricket reaches a similar TG as men's cricket, and investing in women's tournaments might be more cost-effective. Since women's matches are currently priced lower than men's tournaments, it offers brands a great opportunity to maximise their impact. 

“That's far from the truth. If you compare the demographics of WPL and IPL, while the absolute numbers differ, the gender split is quite similar. The IPL has a 60:40 male-to-female ratio, and the WPL is about 57:43,” he says.

Singh says when it comes to the Women’s World Cup, the female viewers ratio is higher, ranging between 22-25%.

For the last few years, brands were associating with women’s cricket to express solidarity or to just support the Indian team. Unlike men’s cricket that provides brands massive reach, women’s cricket was only about storytelling. However, Laskar says with a significant uptick in viewership, today women's cricket is also about reach, making it a substantial media property in its own right. Brands are now evaluating it based on viewership, reach, and the value it offers for their advertising budgets. 

“Women's cricket has now reached a critical mass, making it a solid investment for advertisers,” he adds.

Singh notes that the viewership has increased over 20% compared to the 2023 World Cup. 

“Viewer interest is experiencing growth as the Indian women's team has outperformed during the recent games. Star players like Smriti Mandhana and Shefali Verma have contributed to this surge,” he says.

Meanwhile, the narrative has also shifted from just expressing solidarity or cheering for the team to a focus on growth and empowerment. 

Laskar says, “While some brands still use the old clichés, many have evolved. For instance, SBI, with Smriti Mandhana as their brand ambassador, has invested heavily in women's cricket, using both emotional narratives and smart business strategies to target a growing audience. 

The women players are also getting offers for endorsements. Players like Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, and Shafali Verma are becoming household names, with endorsements rising across the board. Owing to the WPL and increased broadcast of women's cricket, visibility has significantly improved, making a difference in how the sport is perceived. More broadcasts have made the players' faces familiar to fans, and brands are capitalising on this. 

For example, Dream11’s campaign “Poora Fan Bano”  for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, features Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, and batters Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, along with Rohit Sharma, the Indian men’s cricket team’s Captain.

“In Dream11's campaign they’ve retained Rohit Sharma and added top female players to their roster, smartly marrying reach with a relatable, humanised narrative,” Laskar adds.

With India being out of the tournament now, the viewership is expected to decline. Irrespective of men's and women's cricket, the viewership spikes when India plays. Brands also prefer more India games.