To grasp the return on engagement, let's review the key moments of IPL 2023.
There is a growing impact of social media on sports tournaments. Fans take to social media to express, share, like, and comment on everything about their favorite team, player, match, and sponsor. At the heart of these conversations, is emotion.
In this blog, we explore how themes and emotions change throughout a tournament, by analyzing sports lovers’ conversations.
How are we going to do this? For the first time, Talkwalker is exploring this with an in-depth look at the Indian Premier League (IPL). One of the largest cricket tournaments in the world, it had 505 million viewers in 2023.
Exploring the IPL 2023 Journey:
We leveraged Talkwalker's Conversation Clusters feature to create a bird's-eye view of the intricate web of discussions surrounding the IPL, illuminating shifting trends, and emerging opportunities.
Conversation Clusters over time uncover the key topic drivers for IPL 2023 - Talkwalker Social Listening
Passion for sports is expressed using a variety of emotions. Fans wave their hands, smile, cry and so much more. On social media platforms, emojis are a useful way for fans to share these emotions online. Talkwalker’s Smart Themes and Filters can detect the spectrum of positive and negative emotions.
Most mentioned emojis in IPL 2023 conversations - Talkwalker Social Listening
We dissected the vast array of discussions surrounding IPL 2023, uncovering insights that shaped the tournament's narrative. Here's a glimpse of the emotional journey throughout IPL 2023.
Emotions over time - Talkwalker Social Listening
Pre-IPL
The journey of IPL 2023 began with palpable excitement as the tournament returned to its original home-and-away format after a three-year hiatus. Mumbai Indians’ loss - with Jasprit Bumrah out due to an injury, was the most talked about team and player.
Rise in ‘Love’: In anticipation of the event, fans were looking forward to watching the matches live on streaming platforms such as JioCinemas, especially in regional languages. Fans expressed their excitement to watch certain players in the IPL, with the creation of new fan pages as a major part of the chatter.
During IPL
As the tournament unfolded, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings battled to bounce back from early setbacks, setting the stage for intense clashes. A small percentage also discussed the best fantasy team according to players' performance.
Increase in Love and Joy during the tournament: Emotions increased at the start of the event. Conversations on player partnerships, match analysis, and memorable moments from the games were the main themes of conversation.
In particular, content on creating a winning fantasy cricket team engaged audiences.
Rise in Anger during the tournament: Many teams experienced ups and downs during the 2023 season of the IPL, with fans expressing their frustration and disappointment on social media.
Also, fans not only reacted to the match results and player performance but also were affected by on-field altercations between players.
Post IPL
In the aftermath of IPL 2023, Chennai Super Kings emerged victorious, securing their fifth IPL title with exceptional performances from players like MS Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu, and Ravindra Jadeja. Record-breaking downloads of JioCinema’s Power Play, which live streams the matches, were also discussed.
Slight rise in sadness and anger: As the season came to an end, there was a sense of sadness among fans who saw their favorite teams lose. There was a long wait for the next season to see the players and their teams perform again.
Overall the emotional journey of fans during IPL 2023 had ups of love & joy ,and downs of sadness and anger. Cricket fans are passionate about the sport and bring that passion to social media.
IPL 2023 Smart themes over time - Talkwalker Social Listening
Throughout the tournament, emotions varied from pre-tournament happiness, to love and joy at the start, turning towards anger in between, and finally with glimmers of hope and sadness.
It’s important to note that each of the emotions was highly related to players, teams, sponsors, and other brands.
What did brands gain from IPL 2023?
- Engagement Campaigns and Targeting: The anticipation and excitement surrounding IPL 2023 created a fertile ground for brands to engage with a captivated audience.
- Strategic Sponsorships and Endorsements Opportunities: The dominance of star players like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma along with young emerging players like, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, etc. ensured high visibility and engagement opportunities for sponsorships and brand endorsements.
- Community Engagement: The active participation and engagement from fans throughout the season highlighted the potential for brands to leverage IPL as a platform for building lasting connections and brand loyalty.
IPL 2024 starts...now
As the anticipation for IPL 2024 reaches a fever pitch, Talkwalker stands ready with actionable insights derived from the vast ocean of social data.
With Talkwalker, you'll not only stay ahead of the curve but also carve out a distinct competitive advantage in the fast-paced world of cricket marketing. So, buckle up, because the journey to IPL 2024 promises to be nothing short of extraordinary, and Talkwalker is your ultimate companion for success.
Whether you're a sponsor, agency, or B2C brand gearing up for IPL 2024, harness the power of Talkwalker's analytics to stay ahead of the curve and drive unprecedented results. It's time to transform conversations into conversions and emerge victorious in the fast-paced world of cricket marketing.
Connect with the Talkwalker team, and unlock the full potential of IPL 2024 social data. Just click below.
