Mumbai, Apr 4 (IANS): Record 35 crore viewers tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the first 10 matches of the IPL 2024 on television, which is higher than any previous edition of the league including seasons played during the pandemic, according to BARC data.

The overall watch-time for the tournament Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the IPL 2024, has sky-rocketed to 8028 crore minutes which is 20% higher than last year.

The match ratings for the 17th season of the tournament have also galloped 22% compared to the last edition. With the Rivalry Week between April 8 to 14, the broadcaster is geared to take the tournament buzz even higher.

Sanjog Gupta, Head - Sports, Disney Star, said, "Disney Star has started the 17th season from where it left off last year, doubling down on fan-centred initiatives that seek to drive passion and fandom for the tournament. The unwavering support and love received from fans and audiences alike is an affirmation of Star Sports’ belief in the aggregative capacity of IPL on TV as well as its potential for further growth."