Mumbai: Advertising activity during IPL 2026 continued to demonstrate the tournament’s enduring appeal among marketers, with Linear TV registering a 4% increase in ad volumes compared to the previous season, while Connected TV (CTV) emerged as a more diverse platform in terms of advertiser and category participation, according to the latest TAM Sports report.
The findings are part of the seventh update of TAM Sports – IPL 19 Advertising Report, providing key insights based on the first 70 matches across all telecasted channels on Linear TV and 12 language feeds of CTV.
According to the report, indexed advertising volumes on Linear TV grew from 100 in IPL 2025 to 104 in IPL 2026, reflecting a 4% increase over the corresponding period last year. The growth momentum accelerated during the course of the tournament, rising from a 2% increase at Match 48 to 4% by the completion of 70 matches.
The analysis revealed significant overlap between Linear TV and CTV advertising ecosystems, with more than 35 categories and over 30 advertisers appearing across both platforms. This points to an increasingly integrated media strategy among brands looking to maximize reach and engagement during India’s biggest sporting property.
E-com-Other Services emerged as the leading advertising category across both platforms, accounting for 11% of ad share on CTV and 14% on Linear TV. Other prominent categories included Cars, Cellular Phones/Smart Phones, and E-commerce Online Shopping on CTV, while Mouth Fresheners, Two Wheelers and Energy Drinks featured prominently on Linear TV.
Among advertisers, Google topped both platforms, contributing 13% of ad share on CTV and 11% on Linear TV. Other major advertisers included Reliance Consumer Products, Havells India, Tata Motors, Amazon Online India, Vishnu Packaging and K P Pan Foods.
The report also highlighted CTV’s growing importance within the advertising ecosystem. While over 35 categories and 30 advertisers were common across both media platforms, CTV recorded more than 35 exclusive categories and over 60 exclusive advertisers, compared to over 20 exclusive categories and more than 30 exclusive advertisers on Linear TV.
Exclusive categories on CTV included Credit Cards, Adhesives, Fast Food Outlets and Corporate/IT-related services, while Tata Motors, Vivo Mobile India, Renault India, Colgate Palmolive India and Pidilite Industries were among the leading advertisers unique to the platform.
On the other hand, Linear TV saw exclusive participation from categories such as Chocolates, Perfumes & Deodorants, Televisions and Internet Service Providers. Exclusive advertisers included K P Pan Foods, OpenAI, Cadbury India, GCMMF (Amul) and Skoda Auto.
The report underscores the continued strength of television as a mass-reach medium while highlighting the rapid evolution of CTV as a key advertising destination. As brands increasingly adopt multi-screen advertising strategies, IPL continues to serve as one of the country’s most influential platforms for both traditional and digital video advertising.
