ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 breaks the Opening week viewership records on Star Sports

The opening week recorded an unparalleled reach of 269 mn viewers* and 107.2 mn* average impressions

180 mn* viewers tune in to watch India’s opening game against South Africa

Regionalization, High decibel marketing campaign and Special programming deliver strong start

Mumbai: Continuing the record-breaking success from the opening game, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, in its Opening week records a massive 269 mn* reach on the Star network. The inaugural week of the ten-nation tournament registered a phenomenal 107.2 million average impressions*, setting a viewership record in the history of any ICC tournament.

The high decibel marketing campaign #CricketKaCrown, curated programming and unique on-ground activation across cities - ‘Le Jayenge’, contributed to making the opening week a grand success!

Regionalization takes Centerstage

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 was broadcast on Star Sports’ largest bouquet of dedicated regional channels and strong viewership from regional markets is a testament to that. All matches were broadcast in 7 languages - English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam (Opening and all India match days), apart from Select Dugout.

Breakout performers – Kaun Le Jaayega #CricketKaCrown

The opening week of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 saw some stellar performances from players like Jofra Archer (fiery bowling spell against South Africa), Rohit Sharma (immaculate century against South Africa), Shakib Al Hasan (strong performances with bat and ball) to name a few. Not only that, Windies’ spirited performance against Pakistan and India’s dominance over Proteas were some of the notable highlights of opening week.

Special Programming Initiatives

To provide a comprehensive TV viewing experience for fans during the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Star Sports created and offered a dedicated 90 mins pre-show, Philips Hue Cricket LIVE for all games. As part of this show, fans could enjoy a light-hearted segment called ‘Follow the Blues’ which captured Team India’s journey through England and Wales. For all the India games, Star Sports network has launched special programming initiatives which include ‘Dil Se India’, that capture wishes and sentiments of fans and celebrities from all across the globe. As a special initiative, #WomenInFront, the ICC CWC 2019 broadcast will be presented by women experts and anchors such as Mayanti Langer, Isa Guha, Seema Jaswal and Sanjana Ganesan, to name a few.

As part of the biggest Opening invite for India’s first match against South Africa, Superstar Salman Khan and Bollywood Diva Katrina Kaif made a special appearance on Philips Hue Cricket Live to promote their upcoming film.