The Hindu Business Line : Dramatic cricket decides IPL ratings

Television audience rating points for the DLF Indian Premier League matches played last week lost some weight by the end of the week. The matches played on April 26 scored 3.6 and 4 TVR compared with ratings of 5.6 and 5.9 for matches played on April 27, according to TAM Media Research.

Keeping with the ongoing micro-analysis of everything to do with the DLF IPL, one might jump to the hurried conclusion that league cricket is losing steam. Media experts and broadcaster SET (Sony Entertainment Television) MAX are, however, not worried. “Four’s not a bad TVR at all and an average of 5 TVR is actually fantastic,” they say.

And there are good days and bad days. “It depends on the match. If it’s one-sided there is obviously less interest,” says Mr Rohit Gupta, President (Network Sales and Revenue Management), Sony.

The matches in question played last Saturday (Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings, 3.6 TVR) and (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals, 4 TVR) had been big wins. While the Rajasthan Royals had beaten the Bangalorean boys by a cool seven wickets, the Chennai Super Kings had out-batted the Kolkata boys with nine wickets and three overs to spare. The two matches were decisively shorter.

Compare that with the more gripping matched played between the M.S. Dhoni-led team and Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, April 23. The Chennai Super Kings won by a mere six runs in the longest match of the week which lasted 251 minutes.

TVRs for the match stood at 5.9 equal to those for the match played at the Wankhede stadium three days earlier. On that Sunday, Rahul Dravid’s boys managed a thrilling win against their hosts Mumbai. Royal Challengers started off well, then lost a few wickets, but gave the audience the drama it is always waiting for scoring a winning 40 runs in the last four overs.