IPL 2026 TV ad volumes rise 4%, Google top advertiser

TAM Sports’ latest IPL 2026 readout gives a clean snapshot of where the tournament’s ad market finished: still growing on traditional television, with Google leading advertiser rankings across both linear TV and connected TV. Storyboard18, citing the TAM report, said ad volumes on linear TV during IPL 2026 rose 4% from the comparable 70-match period a year earlier. The study covered commercial advertising aired during live matches across 25 linear TV channels and 12 language feeds on connected TV. The result is a useful marker because it shows the tournament still added inventory demand even after another season of heavy commercialization. ### How much did TV advertising actually grow? The TAM Sports summary said IPL 2026’s indexed linear TV ad volume stood at 104, versus 100 for IPL 2025, which translates to a 4% year-over-year increase. Storyboard18 published that comparison on June 3, drawing on the full-season 70-match benchmark rather than an early-season sample. (storyboard18.com) Earlier TAM-linked snapshots had shown a more uneven pattern during the tournament. Storyboard18 reported a 3% dip in ad volumes in the first 13 matches, then a 10% rise in the opening-match sample and first 48-match period, before the season ended with a 4% increase for the full comparable window. That sequence suggests advertiser demand held up through the season, even as the category mix shifted between broadcast TV and connected TV. (storyboard18.com) ### Why does Google stand out in this data? Google ranked as the top advertiser on both platforms in the TAM Sports summary. On connected TV, Google accounted for 13% of ad volumes, ahead of Tata Motors, Havells India, Reliance Consumer Products and Amazon Online India, according to Storyboard18’s report on the TAM data. On linear TV, Google also led, followed by Reliance Consumer Products, Havells India, Vishnu Packaging and K P Pan Foods. (storyboard18.com) That position is consistent with earlier IPL 2026 TAM-based reports. In April and May, Storyboard18 said Google was already leading advertiser share in early-match and first-48-match samples, and one report said Google alone contributed more than 12% of ad volume in early data as AI-related advertising expanded during the season. (storyboard18.com) ### Which categories bought the most inventory? E-commerce Other Services was the largest advertising category on linear TV during IPL 2026, according to the TAM summary cited by Storyboard18. Mouth Fresheners, Two Wheelers, Energy Drinks and Paints followed on broadcast TV. (storyboard18.com) On connected TV, E-commerce Other Services also led, with an 11% share of ad volumes. Cars ranked second at 8%, followed by Cellular Phones-Smart Phones at 6%, E-commerce Online Shopping at 4% and Paints at 4%, the report said. A separate Storyboard18 report earlier in the season described a similar split, with digital platforms and auto leaning more heavily into CTV while FMCG-heavy categories remained stronger on linear TV. (storyboard18.com) ### What does the TV-versus-CTV split show? CTV drew a different advertiser mix from linear TV during IPL 2026, based on TAM’s platform-by-platform rankings. Storyboard18’s earlier coverage said CTV recorded higher exclusive advertiser participation, while linear TV continued to attract more traditional mass-market categories such as mouth fresheners and energy drinks. (storyboard18.com) The season’s full-period data keeps that divide intact at the end of the tournament. Google’s presence at the top of both lists shows some advertisers bought reach across both environments, but the category tables indicate that connected TV remained a more premium, tech-and-auto-heavy layer inside the broader IPL television market. That is an inference from the TAM category and advertiser rankings reported by Storyboard18. (storyboard18.com) ### Where should readers look next? Storyboard18’s June 3 report is the latest full-season TAM Sports summary available for IPL 2026 in the public domain reviewed here. TAM India’s AdEx and knowledge-hub pages list the company’s advertising research products and report archive, where additional sport-by-sport or medium-specific releases may appear. (tamindia.com) (storyboard18.com)