Is there a correlation between winning and fandom in IPL and to what degree? A significant one you could argue citing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) — the most successful franchises with five titles each who consistently top the charts in viewership and sponsorship volumes. But there’s also Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) who are never far behind; they enjoy an incredibly loyal fanbase despite never lifting the trophy.

Crisp Insights, a marketing analytics firm’s weekly survey, provides more clues. The survey reaches out to IPL fans across 13 Indian cities including 10 which are primary homes to all the franchises, asking them about their favourite team. 50% of the respondents have a favourite and one-third of them root for CSK. A majority of the remaining following is for MI, RCB and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). MI’s following has taken a hit after four years without a title.

Interestingly, this weekly survey, in collaboration with market research agency Kadence, shows fans consistently pick CSK as their favourite team, even in an up-and-down season when they haven’t won more than two matches in a row. Fans flock the stadiums and tune in on television for one man.

Dhoni mania

“Every week, we ask attitudinal questions to over 1000 people who watch IPL. Looking at the size of CSK fans, a big part of that fandom appears to be MS Dhoni’s doing,” said Ritesh Ghosal of Crisp Insights. “Which is why he comes back to play, even if he bats at No.8-9. The crowd comes for him.”

Four years after his international retirement, Dhoni is still delivering cameos. This year, the 42-year-old legend has faced only 4-5 balls per match with the bat. Last year, it was even fewer (3-4 balls per match). At his prime, the number of balls Dhoni faces would be four times more. Such has been the great man’s pull that broadcasters have been willing to trade advertising time just to show his entry to the crease.

Given that Dhoni is a national icon who guided India to two World Cup titles — Thala to the CSK fan — there has been a desperation among fans to watch him in flesh and blood before he is gone. For two years in a row, a sea of yellow greets teams in their home stadiums when they face CSK.

It could be different on Friday when CSK face RCB in Bengaluru in a direct shootout for a playoff berth, but don’t blame those running the show if they hold a hidden bias for CSK.

According to the survey, the CSK craze is as real among millions who tune in on television as it is on the ground. In UP, Delhi and Rajasthan, people pick CSK over the home team as their No.1 choice. At every other state other than Gujarat (MI has more following there), Chennai is the fans’ second favourite team after the home side. At home in Chennai, CSK rules.

This year, at the Wankhede Stadium, MI fan jerseys were offered to spectators for free, but they kept their No.7 yellow shirt on and took the goodies home.

“It’s an experience that you are lucky to have in the stadium. We are lucky to get it every time he plays. We have been lucky for a number of years, 16-17 years experiencing his magic,” Stephen Fleming, CSK head coach. said recently.

Building fandom

But MS Dhoni’s impending farewell is a more recent theme. The CSK fandom has stood the test of time. For one, IPL’s revenue model is the most democratic where every franchise earns an equal share from media rights and therefore has a fair chance to build fandom.

For CSK it was a true loyalty test when they returned after a two-year suspension following the spot-fixing scandal. One saw an outpouring of emotion as the Dhoni-led CSK made a triumphant comeback in 2018, Dhoni’s cult status skyrocketing. When matches were taken out of Chennai, the CSK management booked train compartments to carry fans to their adopted home.

This on-ground swelling of love is also extended to the virtual world. CSK topped search volumes and social media following as per Group M’s 2023 data. CSK topped last year’s TV ratings too with MI at No.2 followed by RCB.

Onto the winnability factor again. It’s helped that CSK have made it to the playoffs in four of their last six attempts and won thrice. With Qualifier 2 and the final scheduled in Chennai, CSK won’t be short of supporters egging them on if they reach the final stretch.

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