Zee Entertainment targets 230 million viewership for season 3 of ILT20

Zee Entertainment, the official broadcasting partner of the International League T20, has unveiled its plans for the third season, set to take place from 11 January 2025. The 34-match tournament will run for a month and culminate on 9 February 2025.

The plans include creating a memorable month-long cricket carnival experience for cricket lovers, especially from India, expanding its viewership base by including South Indian channels and targeting 230 – million viewership in the upcoming league. Cricket fans and sports enthusiasts in India and around the world can exclusively watch the LIVE action on ZEE Entertainment’s 15 linear channels as well as stream it for free on its OTT platform ZEE5, every evening.

As the ILT20 2025 approaches, ZEE Entertainment promises to deliver captivating action in an engaging and dynamic fashion across its linear channels and OTT platform, ZEE5.

Commenting about the strategy to focus on South Indian channels to enhance viewership, Ashish Sehgal, Chief Growth Officer – Digital & Broadcast Revenue – Zee Entertainment Enterprise Limited, said, “We are expanding our presence by including more South Indian channels to our lineup as we recognize the strong affinity Southern audiences have for the UAE. With over 30% population in the UAE coming from South Asia, especially India, this move seeks to engage the South Indian demographic effectively. We also aim to offer our cricket lovers a sporting carnival experience that combines high-class cricket at a comfortable, luxurious venue. This month-long event will offer an innovative and immersive experience for cricket fans across the globe, with a special focus on Indian travelers visiting the UAE, offering them a chance to experience cricket in the UAE. This event also serves as an opportunity for advertisers to connect with their premium customers and promote their premium brands.”

ILT20, in its second season, drew an impressive 200,000 attendees across over 30 games. The league is the second most-watched T20 cricket league globally, with a total of 348 million unique viewers from around the world, including a staggering 221 million viewers from India. This success was fueled by ZEE Network’s broadcasting strategy, which leveraged a combination of ZEE’s 10 Linear TV Channels and its OTT Platform ZEE5.

Talking about the tournament known to be the second-most popular league after Indian Premier League (IPL), David White, CEO – DP World ILT20 said, “Firstly, the uniqueness of the DP World ILT 20 lies in the fact that we can have nine international players vis-à-vis the standard four. What also sets ILT20 apart from other leagues is that it does not have a home-and-away format. With three venues – Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi every team feels at home. We need to now cultivate a strong team loyalty. The UAE as a destination boasts of fantastic stadiums, ideal weather in the early part of the year and a comfortable environment for players. The Emirati people are renowned for their warm hospitality, welcoming visitors from around the world. The presence of top players from international teams, lends an international flavour to the event. We are working closely with ZEE to establish Dubai as a premier sporting destination and are open to considering an alternative window to make sure that there is no clash in the future.”

The tournament is aiming for an even larger audience in its third season, targeting 230-million viewers. The strategies being employed to increase its footprints are multifaceted, focusing on the Indian market, which includes cricket lovers, advertisers, and the addition of South Indian channels.

The matches generated a massive response last season from markets like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra. In fact, this year the tournament’s on-air promotion will take place across 40 channels. DP World ILT20 Season 3 will also focus on South Indian channels as part of its strategy to expand viewership.

The league plans to announce new signings next month on 15th September. The existing roster continues to be strong with the presence of players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, David Warner, Jack Fraser McGurk and Shimron Hetmyer, among others. The league, on the whole, boasts of 60,000 registered cricketers.

The franchise-style tournament DP World ILT20, comprises six teams and 34 matches that are played across the UAE. The league’s six franchise teams features Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global). MarcaMoney