IPL strong on cricket websites
23 Apr 2009
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2009 has reinvigorated interest on cricket websites in India.
These portals have been busy providing exclusive updates, videos, score cards and games, and advertisers have discovered that they are the best way to hook viewers who don't have access to television.
Cricinfo.com, a part of the ESPN group, has launched a section called Page 2.
Cricketnext.com, a part of IBN18, has tied up with three IPL teams for promotions and content sharing. It has a partnership with Kolkata Knight Riders, and this time tied up with Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab.
The site works in partnership with network TV channels such as IBN7 and CNN-IBN for content, including interviews and live coverage from South Africa.
Cricinfo says it had already received 13.7 million unique users from India a couple in March, from India a couple of days ago, while Cricketnext received 46 million page views during IPL last year, of which 3.9 million were unique users. This year the site is expecting a higher number, somewhere around 60 million, this year as there are two matches in a day this time.
Leading newspapers like The Times of India and Indian Express have also launched separate sections on their websites for the IPL.