Last Updated on 4 months ago by Charbel Coorey
The brand value of the Indian Premier League (IPL) dropped from $12 billion in 2024 to $9.6 billion in 2025. According to reports from D&P Advisory and Brand Finance, there are several reasons for this 20% decline, which is just the second time the IPL’s value has gone backwards after the COVID-affected year of 2020.
Key reasons why the IPL brand value dropped to $9.6 billion
1. IPL 2025 was halted due to India-Pakistan tensions
The 2025 season had to be paused midway during the India-Pakistan tensions. In May, the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Dharamshala was abandoned due to a blackout in the area. PTI reported this was caused by air raid alerts in nearby areas. The tournament was halted before restarting a week later.
2. Nine out of the ten franchises drop in value
With the uncertainty came a drop in franchise values, according to reports. Only Gujarat Titans had an increase in brand value year-on-year, growing 2% to $70 million. Among the heaviest falls were Kolkata Knight Riders (33%) and Chennai Super Kings (24%), while Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru fell by approximately 10%.
3. Ban on real money applications such as Dream11
According to FirstPost, the ban on real money gaming has also had an impact. In August, the Indian Government passed the Online Gaming Bill which bans money-based games due to the high risk of financial harm.
Fantasy cricket platforms like Dream11 play a key role in fan engagement. Those against the ban argued reform was a better way forward. Also, Dream11 was also a major sponsor of the IPL.
The bill was passed in August – post the IPL 2025 season – so it remains to be seen how this impacts the 2026 edition. However, Dream11 still offers numerous free contests.
4. Other reasons
Fans took to social media to share their view on why the IPL brand value declined from 2024 to 2025. Some believe there are fewer competitors in the media space after Jio and Star merged. This, in turn, can impact the value of media rights.
Another reason is global economic uncertainty. With tigher budgets comes reduced advertising spend, impacting the league’s revenue.
Also, numerous players retiring is believed to have an impact. The likes of Lasith Malinga, Keiron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo have been household names. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni (who is involved a lot less in recent seasons) are also close to retirement.
Do you believe there are other factors involved? Do let us know in the comments or via X at @cric_blog.
