Leading e-commerce platform Noon is exclusively streaming the 2023 and 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) on its app this season.
It is a bold move by Noon and will allow cricket fans in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to watch an uninterrupted, high-quality video stream of all IPL matches via its exclusive digital rights.
The IPL is the most-watched tournament in the cricketing calendar, drawing hundreds of millions of fans each year. This year’s IPL tournament will run from March until May, overlapping with Ramadan, a key event in the region.
Anmol Jain, Growth & Digital Strategy at Noon, spoke to Campaign Middle East’s editor Justin Harper about the strategy behind the move. With a 5 million-plus market, cricket is one of the most popular sports in the region.
Tell us more about the move into sports streaming?
We’re very excited to offer our fans a new way to experience cricket. With the new in-app streaming feature, fans can now sign up for a subscription that gives them uninterrupted access to a full season of live Indian Premier League games as well as special features like post-game analysis with cricket legends.
How long is this contract with the IPL?
Noon has secured exclusive digital streaming rights for the 2023 and 2024 Indian Premier League seasons in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
What other content is available via Noon?
Subscribers can access pre-match, mid-innings, and post-match analysis in one place by tapping the TATA IPL toggle on the homepage of the app (as well as on desktop, and tablet). Fans can hear what cricket legends like Harsha Bhodle, Michael Vaughan and Joy Bhattacharjya have to say and also look back at match highlights and enjoy player spotlights.
Have you done any partner campaigns around the IPL?
We’ve worked with partners to offer them prime visibility during the IPL, with multiple format advertising slots available to book. Advertising opportunities like these provide our partners with a unique opportunity to reach a large number of consumers in the UAE, KSA and Egypt, while also building brand awareness and strengthening relationships.
What types of dynamic ads have been popular?
Across the advertising offering, we’ve seen excellent results and engagement. Brands have placed their trust in us, willing to test this new streaming on an e-commerce app format, for which we are grateful.
Do you plan on streaming other types of content?
It’s been great to see users engaging with the IPL streaming service on a daily basis. We’re excited to see our in-app entertainment user base grow, and we’re pleased with the level of engagement we’ve seen so far with both Golazo, our World Cup 2022 predict and win game, and our IPL streaming service. We’re always looking for ways to improve and make the app better for everyone who uses it, so let’s see what the future brings.
