D&P Advisory has conducted an analysis of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and declared it as India’s first unicorn with a $1.1 billion valuation in 2008, the year it was launched. The report titled “IPL: The Pioneer of Indian Unicorns” considers the values of media rights, title sponsorship, and associate sponsorship from the years leading up to 2014 to evaluate the worth of the IPL. The study found that the broadcast rights alone generated a revenue of Rs 486 crore in 2008, while the title and associate sponsorship rights contributed Rs 36 crore and Rs 48 crore, respectively.
The report indicates that the value of the IPL has consistently grown over the years due to the increasing fees for broadcast and sponsorships. In 2009, the league’s value rose to $1.7 billion, and in 2010 it further increased to $2.2 billion when it had 60 matches. The league’s value continued to rise in 2011 when the number of matches increased to 74, reaching a valuation of $2.7 billion. Recently, D&P Advisory had declared that IPL had become a decacorn, valued at $10.9 billion.
In India’s sports sector, the IPL has changed the game and established a standard for the financial success of sporting events worldwide. The report’s findings showcase the potential of sports events and highlight the role of the IPL as a pioneer in the Indian unicorn club.