Arun Dhumal has strongly dismissed suggestions that interest in the Indian Premier League is slowing, insisting that IPL 2026 has seen massive growth across television and digital platforms. The IPL chairman described the ongoing season as “phenomenal” and expressed confidence that the tournament’s commercial value will continue to rise in the coming years.

Speaking to The Times of India, Arun Dhumal cited recent audience data from JioStar, which highlighted significant growth in viewership metrics during IPL 2026. According to the report, digital reach has increased by 15 per cent, while television reach has jumped by 25 per cent compared to the previous season. Regional-language watch time has also reportedly surged by around 42 per cent.

“Data speaks for itself,” Arun Dhumal said. “In the JioStar report that came out recently, you can see the kind of attraction this year also. It’s been phenomenal.” The IPL chairman also stressed that occasional dips in momentum during a long tournament should not be misinterpreted as declining popularity. “In between, there has been an odd off day. IPL has already crossed 1.1 billion views,” he added.

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Dhumal further highlighted the recent spike in IPL franchise valuations as proof of the tournament’s growing commercial strength. Recently, Royal Challengers Bengaluru was reportedly acquired by a consortium at a $1.78 billion valuation, while Rajasthan Royals attracted new investment at a $1.63 billion valuation.

Referring to those deals, Arun Dhumal said the next IPL media rights cycle is expected to become even more valuable. “If there were apprehensions about the valuation of the next media rights cycle, you wouldn’t have got the kind of valuations predicted for these teams,” he said.

The IPL chairman also described the league as India’s biggest sporting business success story since its launch in 2008.

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“You can compare the valuations now with what the original value was in 2008. It has grown about 20 times in the last 18 years,” Arun Dhumal stated. Calling IPL the “No. 1 make-in-India brand,” he added that several major business groups continue to show interest in owning stakes in franchises, underlining the league’s unmatched commercial appeal and global influence in modern cricket.