As many as 8.1 million concurrent viewers logged on to legitimate broadcaster Star India’s video streaming platform Disney + Hotstar to watch the primary match of Indian Premier League (IPL), 2020, on Saturday, as in step with LetsOTT, a Malaysian-based virtual media company. The numbers are massive as the match was at the back of a paywall, stated media buyers.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians through 5 wickets in the beginning match which marked the return of live sports in India after six months.

These numbers are the 8-10 million in step with match virtual viewership mark of the 2019 version of IPL. However, remaining 12 months Jio customers had free access to Hotstar.

“If these are numbers on the first match, that too behind a paywall, then the viewership will hit 25-30 million per match towards the end of the IPL. This is a fabulous and unprecedented performance,” said Sandeep Goyal, chairman, Mogae Media, a Mumbai-based marketing and communication agency.

According to Goyal, that is how Star can in reality create significant RoI for the massive monies it can pay the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“If Star succeeds with the pay experiment with Hotstar, it will create precedence for a lot many more digital properties,” he added.

Shradha Agarwal, co-founder and COO at virtual advertising and marketing agency Grapes Digital, stated the viewership was encouraging and is predicted rise as content has thus far been restricted to entertainment and news.

Disney + Hotstar, which earned ₹300 crore in sales last 12 months, stated it has signed thirteen sponsors and nearly offered out the ad stock for IPL 2020 to corporations like Procter & Gamble, Kelloggs, Himalaya, Apple, Intel, JSW, Ikea, Jeep and Urban Company, amongst others.