A Sporting Chance

The T20 World Cup has received a warm welcome in the US, but it needs big backing from advertisers

- KRISHNA GOPALAN

A CRICKET MATCH between India and Pakistan is always highly anticipated, particularly if the encounter is part of a World Cup not just their fans, but broadcasters and sponsors get excited, too. The recent ICC Men's T20 World Cup clash between the neighbours in New York was no exception. It was a full house at the 34,000-seat Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Eisenhower Park, and millions more tuned in to watch the broadcast worldwide.

While the numbers are quite encouraging, not all matches have generated that kind of excitement among fans. "There is still a lukewarm feeling about the T20 World Cup amongst cricket fans, but there is still interest from advertisers. Though the India-Pakistan match was on a Sunday, that clash always gets eyeballs, making it a pretty safe investment for brands," says Sandeep Goyal, MD of advertising agency Rediffusion.

The ninth edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup started barely a week after the marquee Indian Premier League (IPL). With 20 teams across four groups, it will have 55 matches, to be played in the US and West Indies. What remains to be seen is the level of enthusiasm from viewers in a year that already had the IPL and the Lok Sabha elections. Moreover, how much more money does an advertiser need to spend in a year?