In a significant move to cater to a wider audience and overcome language and disability barriers, Star Sports has introduced groundbreaking features to enhance the IPL viewing experience for the 2024 season.
Among the most notable innovations is sign language commentary, a first-of-its-kind initiative that enables deaf, hard-of-hearing, and visually impaired fans to enjoy the thrill of the matches. Trained specialists translate the original commentary into sign language, bridging the gap for specially-abled fans.
Star Sports has also harnessed AI technology to empower international commentators to speak in regional Indian languages, such as Hindi, in their natural voices. This immersive feature, showcased through viral video clips of Stuart Broad and Steven Smith, allows commentators to connect with fans across linguistic boundaries.
The ‘Shor Meter’ excitement measurement feature brings the stadium atmosphere into viewers’ homes by capturing the decibel levels of crowd engagement in real time. Additionally, the ‘Star Cam’ provides dedicated feeds focused on team captains, ensuring fans witness pivotal on-field moments, skipper strategies, and celebrations.
Recognizing the diverse linguistic landscape of India, Star Sports has expanded its multilingual coverage to include feeds in nine of the most widely spoken languages. This allows fans to enjoy the matches in their preferred tongue, fostering a sense of inclusion and accessibility.
These innovative features have contributed to a surge in IPL 2024 viewership, with Disney Star achieving a cumulative reach of 44.8 crore viewers and 18,800 crore minutes of watch time in the first 22 days of the tournament. The initiatives have also led to an 8% increase in cumulative reach and a 15% growth in match ratings compared to the previous season, as revealed by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
