International Cricket Council (ICC) experienced a setback as South Africa successfully claimed a single wicket in the ongoing match.

In a surprising turn of events, the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025, held at Lord’s, experienced a 75% drop in ad volume, despite record viewership, particularly amongst Indian audiences. This paradoxical situation has sparked discussions within the media and advertising industries.

## Key Factors Behind the Ad Volume Drop

The absence of India or high-profile teams was a significant contributing factor to the ad volume drop. India, being cricket’s biggest market, not only drives viewership but also advertiser interest and spending. The 2025 WTC Final, featuring South Africa vs. Australia, lacked the marquee presence of India, leading to reduced advertiser enthusiasm.

Another factor was market and economic pressures. Brands may have re-evaluated their advertising investments due to broader economic pressures, with the return on investment for expensive live event ads appearing less certain. Additionally, some broadcasters adopted a staggered content strategy, leveraging the IPL to build anticipation, which may have diluted the urgency for advertisers to invest heavily in a single, non-IPL event.

Structural and scheduling factors also played a role. The WTC Final’s timing could have overlapped with other major sporting or entertainment events, leading advertisers to spread their budgets more thinly or prioritise events with higher perceived value. Logistical challenges and uncertainty surrounding weather, scheduling, and less familiar teams for key markets like India made ad sales more challenging.

## Viewership vs. Ad Volume: The Paradox

Despite these challenges, Indian fans remained engaged, demonstrating the power of cricket as a content property. The combination of high viewership and low ad volume underscores that advertiser decisions are often driven by the perceived market value of the teams involved and the certainty of return, not just raw audience numbers. Even record-breaking audiences cannot always compensate for the absence of a marquee team, especially in a media market as cricket-centric and team-loyal as India’s.

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As the media landscape continues to evolve, it's clear that understanding the intricacies of audience engagement and advertising dynamics will be crucial for stakeholders in the industry.

[1] TAM adex mentioned in relation to the ad volume drop in the ICC WTC Final 2025. [2] The website's community consists of over 2 million industry professionals. [3] Marketers are focusing on brand building and performance in South India. [4] The MIB has proposed local registration and conflict ban for TRP agencies. [5] Pirates of Bollywood are causing concerns for producers. [6] The website's mobile app is available for download. [7] There is a need for stronger regulation and accountability for the OOH industry. [8] The first half of 2025 saw content trump star power in Kollywood. [9] The article was published on July 4, 2025, at 09:45 AM IST by BE Staff on their website.

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 witnessed a 75% drop in ad volume, despite record viewership, primarily in Indian audiences, as evidenced by TAM adex.
The 2025 WTC Final, featuring South Africa vs. Australia, lacked the marquee presence of India, contributing to the reduced advertiser enthusiasm, making India's cricket-centric and team-loyal market crucial.
Marketers are focusing on brand building and performance in South India, demonstrating the importance of understanding audience engagement and advertising dynamics in the evolving media landscape.
For those interested in the latest industry news, the website's mobile app offers real-time updates, and subscribing to the website's newsletter provides access to insights and analysis on various sectors, such as entertainment, sports, and marketing.

International Cricket Council (ICC) experienced a setback as South Africa successfully claimed a single wicket in the ongoing match.