By Hindustan Times
Seven days into the season, Indian Premiere League 5 was declared a thanda affair in the case of television viewing. As per Television Audience Measurement (TAM) ratings, the outlet ceremony gathered a poor score of 1.3 while the primary six matches got a regular of 3.76 — the bottom in five years of the tournament. This, whilst stadiums are packed during matches.
With the exception of the TRPs, even mobile downloads of IPL apps and merchandise sales have hit an unprecedented low, and cheerleaders are facing flak for his or her dramatic costumes as opposed to drawing the crowds. Such a lot in order that Bollywood filmmakers and tv channels that were otherwise petrified of releasing their films and shows through the tournament are unperturbed this time.
Vamshi K Reddy of Apalya Technologies, the exclusive partner for mobile streaming of IPL matches, says, “Active engagement is yet to begin.” A STORE owner selling official IPL merchandise says on condition of anonymity, “The sale during IPL 1 was superb but then it started dropping with every season. This year have been the worst so far.”
TV show makers are smiling away to success. “This year, we're launching two shows during IPL, as two things emerge clearly — one, that regular entertainment shows are growing relating to audience numbers despite IPL. And two, the return on investment, as a result, at the IPL is way less than at the entertainment shows for advertisers,” says Akash Chawla, marketing head of Zee TV. IPL’s chairperson Rajeev Shukla, however, defends: “The opening ceremony was a brand new thing and therefore not many were conscious about it. The primary match got a TRP of 5.5. So the fashion continues to be the same, and it usually grows towards the second one half the tournament.”
... And the slapstick scores
Housefull 2 has earned Rs. 45cr in exactly a week’s run parallel to the IPL. Director Sajid Khan says, “I single-handedly took this decision of releasing it at the day IPL took off because I felt it would not encroach into my film’s space.” The makers of Jannat 2, releasing May 5, are equally sure in their film’s success.
