Over 30 crore fans tuned in to watch 2023 ODI World Cup final

MUMBAI: Over 30 crore fans tuned in to watch the live broadcast on TV of the 2023 ODI World Cup final between India and Australia last Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, making it the highest viewed match ever, Disney Star, the official broadcaster of the tournament, stated in a release on Thursday.

The release mentioned that the Peak concurrency on TV for the final match was at 13 crore, while Peak concurrency on Disney+ Hotstar was at 5.9 Crore for the finals, a global record for any live sport.

Overall, 52 crore viewers tuned in to TV for the marquee tournament, consumption reached 422 billion minutes, making it the biggest World Cup ever, the broadcaster said.

has not only etched itself into the chronicles of sporting history but has also become the most-watched event ever on both linear TV and digital streaming. With an astounding reach of 30 Crore for the live broadcast on TV, Star Sports Network ensured that cricket enthusiasts across India were glued to their television screens, making it the most watched Television event ever. The magnitude of the final was further highlighted by a peak concurrency of 13 Crore viewers on TV and 5.9 crore peak concurrency on Disney+ Hotstar (Digital).

As per BARC, the tournament crossed a viewership of half a billion viewers for the first time as 518 million (51.8 Crore) TV viewers tuned in for the live broadcast of the marquee tournament being played in India after 12 years. The live TV broadcast for the tournament garnered 422 billion minutes of TV watch time making it the most watched ICC Men’s World Cup in the history of the event. The final between India Vs Australia delivered a peak concurrency of 13 crore which surpassed the previous highest peak concurrency in the tournament with India Vs Pakistan at 7.5 crore and India Vs New Zealand at 8 crore. Disney Star left no stone unturned in bringing the grandeur of the World Cup to fans in India and across the globe, showcasing its unwavering dedication to delivering unparalleled sporting content.

The streaming arm of Disney Star broke its own record five times through the tournament to witness a peak concurrency of 5.9 crores for the final, solidifying its position as the go-to destination for cricket enthusiasts seeking a seamless and immersive viewing experience. The platform surpassed global streaming records across all formats of cricket at the beginning of the tournament with the peak concurrency of 3.5 crore viewers during the India Vs Pakistan match. This was followed by a streak of record-breaking numbers - 4.3 crore peak concurrent viewers during the India Vs New Zealand match, 4.4 crore peak concurrent viewers during the India Vs South Africa match and most recently, 5.3 crore peak concurrent viewers during the thrilling semifinals between India and New Zealand match.

The release quoted K Madhavan, Country Manager & President, Disney Star, as saying, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), for their invaluable support, making this tournament an overwhelming success. We would also like to thank the fans, who showered their support throughout the tournament and with their unwavering passion making this historic achievement possible. Disney Star is dedicated to paving the road for sports broadcast in India and it has been extremely encouraging to see growth across both, the linear and digital mediums, thereby increasing the fan base of cricket. This is testament to the uniqueness of the India market where linear and digital continue to grow alongside each other. This successful tournament has set the stage for a promising future in our association with the ICC."