The much-awaited India vs Pakistan match in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, September 14, in Dubai is now seeing a surprising dip in advertisement rates. The India vs Pakistan games usually draw massive crowds and eye-popping advertising deals, but this time, the story is different.
It is being said that the ad rates have fallen by 15 to 20 percent, which is in complete contrast to the past, where brands fought hard to secure spots whenever the India vs Pakistan rivalry revived. In the past Asia Cups, a 10-second ad during these blockbuster matches would cost between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh on regular TV.
Big drop in Ad deals for India vs Pakistan match
For high-profile ICC tournaments, ad rates for India vs Pakistan games could go as high as Rs 20 lakh per 10-second spot. But for the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, no official numbers have been revealed, and sources suggest that advertisers are hesitant. It is being said that several factors are hitting the market this time.
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The first and main reason is the sudden ban on real-money gaming platforms, which had been one of the biggest promoters of cricket sponsorships. Without their heavy investments, a huge chunk of advertising money would be gone overnight. And then, the political tensions between India and Pakistan are forcing the brands to be cautious.
The ongoing Asia Cup 2025 hasn’t exactly set the viewership charts on fire either. Matches involving teams like the UAE, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Oman failed to attract large audiences, making advertisers second-guess their spending. As reported by Business Standard, the drop in excitement has had a significant effect on the overall advertising demand.
Sony offers flat-rate ad packages for Asia Cup 2025
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), the official media rights holder for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) games until 2031, has tried to manage the situation by offering flat-rate advertising packages. For example, seven key matches, including some involving India, are being sold at Rs 16 lakh for a 10-second slot on linear TV. All other matches are bundled together in this package.
In the connected TV space, rates have remained fairly steady at around Rs 20 lakh to Rs 24 lakh per 10-second spot, revealed by Vivek Menon, managing partner, NV Capital, a media and entertainment fund company. But this doesn’t hide the fact that gaming sponsors, who once poured money into cricket, are no longer in the picture, and that impact is clear and loud.
Meanwhile, the digital market shows a mixed picture. Pre-roll ads are going for around Rs 275 per 10 seconds, while matches involving India go up to Rs 500, and the India vs Pakistan game fetches as much as Rs 750 per 10-second slot. This shows that digital platforms are still trying to capitalize on big games, but overall spending is careful.
GST boost and festival season could rescue the Asia Cup 2025
Adding to advertisers’ concerns, Menon said that the absence of a lead sponsor for the India National Cricket Team has further reduced high-value partnerships.
Well, the Indian government’s recent GST (goods and services tax) announcement and the approaching festival season are expected to bring in fresh spending for the big Asia Cup 2025 game from brands in sectors like consumer durables, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), mobile phones, automobiles, paints, financial services, insurance, and tires.
Despite this, Siddharth Devnani, cofounder and chief operating officer of SoCheers, believes that the biggest brands will still step up, as the advertisers are eager to grab the huge attention and spotlight that only an India vs Pakistan match can create, even if they have to play it safer this time.
