The increase is being driven by the Cricket World Cup, which is currently taking place in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There was an 80 to 100-per-cent increase on the rates being charged for advertising around the 2011 World Cup, compared to the previous World Cup in 2007, Sinha said. He expects this year’s tournament to generate Rs6 billion to Rs7 billion, the same level that he predicts for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament this year.
Sinha said a deepening pool of advertisers and a higher television penetration helped to increase advertising rates. “In 2007, there were three telecom companies. Today there are 15. There were five auto companies then. Today there are many more. The reach has also gone up. There are at least 60-per-cent more TV homes today compared to 2007. I expect ESPN Star Sports to make at least double of what [2007 World Cup rights-holder] Sony managed to earn in 2007.”
Sinha said that 80 per cent of the advertising inventory for the World Cup had been presold, the same as in 2007.