IPL is like India’s biggest festival. And like every festival, it needs money to celebrate. This year, though, it’s your money, and the festival is hosted by Jio. Maybe we should rename IPL to JPL—Jio Premier League—because Jio is literally collecting money from everywhere. But have you ever wondered how jio makes money from IPL? Especially now in 2025, things have changed quite a bit.
Broadcasting Rights: The Biggest Moneymaker
Let’s start with Jio’s initial investment. IPL broadcasting rights determine which TV channels and apps can broadcast the matches. Back in 2008, Sony paid ₹8000 crores for 10 years. Later, in 2017, Disney Hotstar stepped in, offering ₹16,000 crores for just five years—four times more expensive—securing both TV and digital rights.
In 2022, Disney Hotstar wanted to renew their deal, but Jio disrupted their plans by splitting the broadcasting rights. Digital rights alone cost ₹20,000 crores, plus ₹3,000 crores extra for selected matches and ₹1,000 crores for international digital rights, totaling ₹24,000 crores. Disney Hotstar was forced to settle for just the TV rights, again for ₹24,000 crores. Jio then invested ₹24,000 crores to stream IPL matches digitally for free, effectively forcing Disney Hotstar into a merger. So now Jio needs to recover ₹48,000 crores in total. Crazy amounts of money, isn’t it?
Ads Everywhere: Making ₹5000 Crores from Ads
After spending so much, Jio needs to recover the money. Their big plan? Ads, ads, and more ads. This year, they’re planning to earn ₹5000 crores just from advertisements. But how?
First, cricket is super popular right now. India just won the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, so fans are extra excited. Companies know millions will watch IPL this year—probably more than last year’s 95 crore viewers. So, they’re ready to spend big on ads.
Second, Jio now controls both digital and TV. Last year, Hotstar and Jio competed, giving companies big discounts. But now Jio can set whatever prices they want because there’s no competition. Ad packages range from ₹40 crore to ₹240 crore, and TV ads cost ₹8.5 lakh for just 10 seconds! Mobile ads cost ₹250 per impression. That’s super expensive for such short ads, but companies are still paying!
Third, Jio isn’t just chasing big companies. They’re also getting smaller businesses to advertise by offering targeted ads. For example, if you’re a local builder in Jaipur or have a car dealership in Delhi, you can target ads directly to people in your area. They even allow ads in different languages like Bhojpuri, Bengali, or English. Small businesses love this because it’s affordable and effective.
Fourth, there’s something called premium ads. These are special ads targeted at wealthy viewers who own fancy phones like iPhones or high-end smart TVs. Advertisers pay even more to reach these rich viewers, adding extra money to Jio’s pocket.
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Subscriptions: Viewers Paying to Watch IPL
IPL used to be free, but not anymore. Now, everyone pays to watch online. Jio Hotstar expects around 10 crore people to subscribe during IPL 2025. The cheapest subscription costs ₹150 for three months. If everyone chooses this basic option, that’s ₹1500 crores straight away.
But let’s be real, people usually pick longer plans like the ₹500 yearly subscription. If most viewers pick this, Jio could earn around ₹5000 crores just from subscriptions alone.
Clever Bundle Deals: Getting More Subscribers
There’s another smart thing Jio is doing—bundle deals. If you recharge your Jio SIM, you get calls, data, and a free Hotstar subscription. Many Airtel or Vodafone Idea users might switch to Jio because of this deal, helping Jio attract even more subscribers.
Even Airtel and Vodafone Idea started similar deals to keep their customers happy. But Jio will likely benefit most, gaining new subscribers easily during IPL season.
Extra Income: TV Connections and the Mumbai Indians Team
IPL also increases TV sales. Every IPL season, around 15-20 lakh new TV connections are added. Each new connection means more money for broadcasters and companies.
But wait, there’s more! Jio acquired the Mumbai Indians team in 2008 for ₹450 crores, at that time a record price. Today, the team’s value is ₹11,000 crores—over 24 times the original investment. Each year, Mumbai Indians generate revenue from ticket sales, ads, prize money, and broadcasting rights.
Last year alone, their revenue reached ₹737 crores, netting ₹19 crores pure profit. Basically, the initial ₹450 crore investment is recovered every year. Jio recently expanded by acquiring the Mumbai Indians women’s team, steadily growing their sports empire.
IPL is More Than Just Cricket—It’s Big Business!
So that’s how IPL makes money in 2025. From massive broadcasting rights deals to tons of ads, subscription fees, clever bundles, TV sales, and even team profits—IPL is really a big money game.
Hope this made it easy and fun to understand how IPL makes all its money!
