A new report has raised concerns that India’s existing broadcasting tariff framework is allowing commercial establishments to generate significant revenue from premium sports broadcasts without fairly compensating the owners of the content rights. Titled Unauthorised Sports Broadcasting: Unlocking Revenue from Commercial Establishments, the report by Koan Advisory examines what it describes as a major loophole in India’s commercial broadcasting regulations.
Based on surveys of 50 commercial establishments and 250 consumers across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, conducted before and during the IPL 2026 season, the study suggests that many businesses are benefiting commercially from live sports screenings while avoiding licensing obligations.
According to the report, the issue stems from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) current definition of a commercial subscriber, which only applies to establishments that directly charge customers to watch television.
However, the survey found that most venues attract customers through indirect means, such as discounted drinks, IPL-themed menus, minimum-spend requirements, and group offers, rather than by charging entry fees. In fact, only 12 percent of the establishments surveyed imposed a cover charge.
The findings indicate that live sports have become a major driver of business for restaurants, bars and pubs. Around 44 percent of managers reported revenue growth of more than 30 percent during the IPL season, while half of the surveyed establishments experienced a similar increase in customer footfall. These gains coincided with the IPL continuing to rank among the world’s most-watched sporting events.
“The evidence from the survey clearly reveals the gap between who creates the value and who captures it. Live sports screenings are no longer merely an added attraction; they are the attraction. More than two-thirds of customers surveyed reported being at the venue specifically because a match was being screened. Close to 90 percent indicated they were likely to return to the same venue for another match. Businesses are monetising that demand through food, beverages, promotions and increased customer spending. Yet the creators and broadcasters whose content drives that demand cannot tap into the commercial value being generated,” said Dr Samira Sarah Abraham, Economics Lead at Koan Advisory.
The report also notes that India’s approach differs from that of several major markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Singapore, where copyright laws and commercial negotiations determine how broadcasters license sports content for public viewing.
In contrast, India’s current regulations prevent broadcasters from negotiating directly with commercial establishments and require transactions to be routed through Distribution Platform Operators.
To address the issue, the report recommends replacing the existing TRAI tariff framework with a public viewing licensing model under the Copyright Act, 1957. It also advocates for flexible licensing arrangements tailored to different categories of commercial establishments and proposes transferring regulatory oversight from TRAI to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, arguing that the department is better equipped to handle the intellectual property aspects of sports broadcasting.
