According to the new 2026 IPL Valuation Study by global investment bank Houlihan Lokey, the total business value of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has now reached $20.6 billion (about ₹1.95 lakh crore). That is up from US$18.5 billion last year. The brand value of the league alone has jumped to $4.3 billion (about ₹40,850 crore).
Mobile Phones Beat Television: How India Watches Matches
In the past, families gathered around a single living room television to watch cricket matches. Today, young people aged 18 to 45 watch matches on their smartphones while traveling, working, or hanging out with friends.
The Houlihan Lokey report shows that out of 1.18 billion (118 crore) total viewers, 652 million (65.2 crore) people watched the IPL online on JioHotstar OTT platform in 2025 (accounting for 55% of total viewership . While, TV viewers tally stood at 53.7 crore making up 45% of the vieweship.
Young households are upgrading to Smart TVs and fast mobile internet, allowing them to watch high-definition streams whenever they want.
Small-Town Superstars Become National Heroes
Credit: Instagram/@vaibhav_sooryavanshi09
Young fans love seeing players from backgrounds just like theirs succeed on the biggest stage. The Houlihan Lokey study highlights how young talent drives massive fan engagement.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals): At just 15 years old, this young prodigy took the cricket world by storm. Playing for Rajasthan Royals, he won the Orange Cap by scoring 776 runs at an incredible strike rate of 237.30, hitting a tournament-record 72 sixes. The report notes that TV and digital viewership visibly spiked every time he walked out to bat.
Rinku Singh (Kolkata Knight Riders): The report highlights Rinku Singh as a “locally-grown hero” whose emotional story resonates deeply with fans across small-town India.
Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings): His popular “Sarpanch Saab” campaign created massive viral popularity on social media among young fans.
These player stories prove that you do not need to come from a big metro city to become a national icon.
Big Business: Why Investors Are Paying Thousands of Crores for Teams
Because hundreds of millions of fans tune in every evening, global investors are spending huge amounts of money to buy IPL teams. The Houlihan Lokey study points out two record-breaking team sales:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): RCB was sold to a consortium including the Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, and global investors for $1.78 billion ( ₹16,910 crore)—making it the most expensive team sale in IPL history.
Rajasthan Royals (RR): RR was acquired by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal (ArcelorMittal) and Adar Poonawalla (Serum Institute) for $1.65 billion (around ₹15,600 crore). Lakshmi Mittal’s roots trace back to Sadulpur in North Rajasthan, giving this big-money deal a proud local connection.
New Careers for Young India Beyond Playing
In an interview included in the Houlihan Lokey report, Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia points out that the IPL has created an entire sports economy for young Indians.
Ten years ago, parents wanted their children to become doctors, lawyers, or join family businesses. Today, young people aged 18 to 35 can build successful careers as video analysts, sports physiotherapists, digital content creators, social media managers, event planners, and team administrators.
The IPL is no longer just two months of evening entertainment on TV. It is an all-year digital ecosystem powered by young fans, mobile technology, and small-town passion.
Total IPL 2026 Revenue: Total annual revenue for IPL 2026—combining broadcasting rights, central and local sponsorships, and ticket sales—is projected to exceed $1.8 billion or ₹17,100 crore.
