Mumbai: JioStar said the 19th edition of the IPL became the most watched season in the tournament’s history, with total reach crossing 1.2 billion viewers across television and digital platforms.The broadcaster said IPL 2026 recorded 870 billion minutes of watch-time, up 7% year-on-year, while the final, in which Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their second successive title, became the most watched IPL match ever with a reach of more than 400 million across screens.Connected TV emerged as the fastest-growing platform, posting 22% year-on-year growth, as digital video views rose 8% to 25 billion. JioStar said regional language watch-time share on digital increased 33%, driven by higher consumption among affluent and younger viewers.“IPL 2026 was a season where we set out on our journey of what a truly integrated sports platform should look like,” said Ishan Chatterjee, CEO, Sports, JioStar. “The season-ending data is a testament to the efforts we made across platforms, with CTV’s communal experience and regional-language presentation becoming unprecedented growth drivers.”The company said its IPL coverage featured 12 languages, 30 feeds, multi-cam viewing options, and a new “Champions Wali Commentary” format. JioStar added that integration with OpenAI and Swiggy enabled more personalised viewing experiences and contextual brand participation.JioStar said IPL 2026 attracted 125 new advertisers compared with last season, while 22 sponsors partnered with JioHotstar and 16 with the Star Sports Network.