The Women’s Premier League (WPL) and the ICC Champions Trophy will overlap for the majority of their run. While the WPL is scheduled from February 14 to March 15, the international event will take place from February 19 to March 9.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has arranged the WPL matches to avoid overlap with India’s matches in the international tournament, including the semi-finals and finals (assuming India makes it). While this will ensure viewership is not divided, the clash is expected to impact advertising and sponsorship costs. Brands with a limited budget must choose between the two properties.
The two-year-old league is still positioning itself as a platform for brands. Experts predicted that WPL 2024 will rake in around Rs 90 crore, a decrease of about 15-20% compared to 2023’s Rs 110 crore. This edition’s clash with the Mini World Cup will likely affect it more.
JioStar, in its promotional campaigns, has promised a 1.7X growth in its digital reach over WPL ’23 and 1.2X growth in TV reach over WPL ’23. It also offers a 43% growth in watch time/ user on digital and 29% for TV with 192% growth in consumption (TV+ Digital).
Krishnarao Buddha, a media and marketing expert, says Champions Trophy could fill its inventory as the event proceeds, especially if multiple India-Pakistan matches happen, but WPL will struggle as the sequence of events also affects budgets.
“The Champions Trophy comes before IPL, and WPL comes before both, making it even more vulnerable.”
Krishnarao Buddha, media and marketing expert
WPL offers brands exposure to new audiences even though it doesn’t have the same viewership as IPL or Champions Trophy. Advertisers seeking massive viewership might consider IPL and Champions Trophy, notes Rajiv Dubey, VP & head of media, Dabur India.
According to media reports the second season saw a substantial rise in viewership, with cumulative TV viewership reaching 103 million within just the first 15 games. The inaugural season attracted 50 million viewers across television and digital platforms during its first 14 games. Meanwhile, the IPL 2024 was watched by 620 million viewers on JioCinema alone.
Dubey says while the ratings are lower than men’s IPL, the ratings for WPL are still justified, considering its smaller format and lower pricing.
“With IPL and CT, we reach light TV viewers who don’t watch sports regularly but tune in for these events.”
Rajiv Dubey, Dabur India
Last year, while the league drew many sponsors, the broadcasters did not garner as much interest from advertisers. Divya MS, business head of ITW 360, says in its formative years, sponsor interest in teams and the league is a great sign as these are usually long term deals and show the brand’s faith in the growth of the league and aligning their messaging with the league.
“On the other hand, advertisers comparatively have a more short term outlook and may have a strategy to wait and watch for a season or two to ensure that the viewership aligns with their target demographic,” she says.
Joy Personal Care had been sponsoring IPL teams like Gujarat Giants and Delhi Capitals since WPL’s first edition. The brand targeted social viewers who engage with the game for its cultural buzz, leveraging the larger cultural narrative rather than focusing solely on the sport. However, this year, after its deal ended, it has withdrawn due to limited inventory and lack of desired exposure with brands or franchises.
Poulomi Roy, chief marketing officer of Joy Personal Care (RSH Global), says brands investing in WPL need a clear purpose beyond mere sponsorship.
“Simply associating isn’t enough—you must create meaningful narratives and have the patience to let them grow. Many lack that patience, but long-term commitment is key to real impact.”
Poulomi roy, rsh global
With multiple advertising opportunities, brands with a fixed cricket budget are having to split it between the three tournaments. According to White Rivers Media CEO and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi, most people prefer the Champions Trophy over WPL.
“Premier League-style tournaments like WPL will come later, but the Champions Trophy offers a diverse mix of teams and players, making it more competitive and exciting—especially if India plays.”
Shrenik Gandhi, White Rivers Media
However, Srinivas Rao, chief investment head at Wavemaker India, believes that BCCI’s full support, female cricketers’ growing popularity and spectator engagement could keep WPL gaining decent traction.
“WPL over the years has been able to create a niche for itself. It has had its own set of advertisers who have been present on the property.”
Jigar Rambhia, the head of Fuse India, says that scheduling overlaps are inherent in sports broadcasting.
“The two tournaments provide complementary opportunities for brands to engage with diverse audiences, maximising their reach and impact.”
Jigar Rambhia, Fuse India
Divya points out that there could be a slight effect on the number of casual cricket viewers who might have tuned in to the WPL if there had been no scheduling conflict.
WPL’s growth and challenges
The Champions Trophy attracts a wider audience due to its high-stakes format, which includes the top eight teams. This ensures intense, high-quality contests that inherently draw substantial viewership. The Champions Trophy features greater intensity, higher stakes, and a more competitive edge, making it the more compelling event.
Gandhi says people are eager for high-quality cricket content, and “fans are looking forward to celebrating their heroes”. At the same time, WPL demonstrates a notable advantage in consistency. He predicts that for the next five years, WPL will be driven by storytelling.
The BCCI has expanded the WPL to Lucknow, Vadodara, Mumbai, and Bengaluru this year, mimicking the IPL’s multi-city model. This should strengthen the franchise. As teams travel, Buddha believes excitement creates local buzz and social media engagement. The multi-location approach boosts fan engagement, stadium attendance, and anticipation, making it a high-impact property for advertising.
Rao of Wavemaker India says this will ensure more interest as it ensures wider reach and enhanced visibility.
“The key to maximising this potential will be effective marketing, ensuring games are held in cricket-loving regions, and creating an engaging match-day experience. With these factors in play, the expansion could be a significant step in growing both the league and the popularity of women’s cricket,” he says.
He also feels that it should aspire to become another IPL.
“WPL should help brands build their entire campaign to be designed around it. By creating opportunities to do a complete surround, it will ensure better traction.”
Srinivas Rao, Wavemaker India
Roy says the league itself isn’t lacking anything—the real issue lies in deep-rooted industry pressures.
“Marketers today are forced to show immediate ROI, which is killing the science of understanding consumer behaviour. Instead of decoding why an action happens, we focus only on measurable actions. This shift pushes brands toward media properties that deliver instant results rather than investing in long-term narratives,” she says.
Roy insists that WPL needs time to grow. Expecting immediate returns from something unprecedented is unrealistic. “The rise will come—it just requires patience,” she says.
While Joy is yet to decide if it will advertise during the tournament, Roy says the ad rates are a major concern. She feels there should be some regulatory oversight to ensure brands can justify their spending.
“Without it, planning loses merit, and it simply becomes a matter of who can afford to pay. Marketing exists to support business growth, and if we can’t calculate ROI—short-term or long-term—it becomes unsustainable. While this is one of India’s finest properties and should be monetized, there must be a balance. Advertisers need clarity on returns, ensuring the ecosystem isn’t one-sided. If managed well, it will benefit everyone,” she says.
Need for star performances
Buddha believes the league requires spectacular performances from its stars to gain recognition. Without a star player’s swashbuckling performance, WPL excitement is restricted. A hat-trick or exceptional feat draws viewers. “A viral moment can attract viewers and boost ratings,” he explains.
Marketing strategies for success
A media expert on the condition of anonymity notes that WPL’s biggest gap is a lack of strong marketing. The focus is heavily on digital, but a growing property like this needs an equally strong, if not greater, TV push.
“It requires a powerful advertising campaign to attract viewers. Broadcasters must invest in high-impact promotions, especially on TV, to maximise reach. With the right marketing, WPL will undoubtedly succeed,” he says.
The WPL is doing a lot of things right, including top-notch programming, focussing on the players’ journeys, creating interesting storylines, and emphasising that the women’s game is on par with the men’s game in talent, which Divya believes will pay off.
“The more fans are intrigued by the league, the more we will see viewership rise, and so will brand interest. Fostering and growing the community of women’s cricket fans and their involvement in the game through deeper brand integrations may also prove to be impactful,” she says.