As the IPL 2025 season progresses past the three-week mark, new data from Kadence International and CrispInsight's eDART-IPL25 highlights a trend that many would find unsurprising—IPL fandom continues to be driven more by players than by teams. According to insights from Week 2, a staggering 98% of IPL fans have a favorite player, yet only 37% show clear loyalty to a particular team. This reinforces the idea that star power often overshadows franchise allegiance in the minds of viewers.

At the forefront of this fan-driven momentum are Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, once again emerging as the league’s most admired cricketers. Kohli’s fierce passion and Dhoni’s timeless composure continue to win hearts across all age groups. Also making the top 10 are Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant—players who combine charisma with on-field consistency to maintain deep emotional bonds with fans.

When it comes to team loyalty, however, traditional franchises still hold sway. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) command the strongest support within their respective home regions. In fact, 91% of fans in RCB’s catchment area named them as either their first or second favorite team, with MI and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) closely following, proving that while players drive the fandom, legacy teams still anchor regional support.

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Brand Recall Challenges While Super Fans Generate Engagement

Though the number of advertisers during this season increased, just 25% of the 200 brands tracked managed to cross the 4% recall threshold. Electronics and payment brands fared well, particularly if they engaged a viewer who was already primed with existing interest in a given category. But the clincher? Integration. As Aman Makkar from Kadence has noted, those brands that identify directly with players, teams, and gameplay are far more visible than those that hold fast to unadorned ad frequency.

Most significantly, the report identifies that IPL superfans, approximately 15% of the audience, exercise disproportionate power over both viewing and brand engagement. They're not just observing games; they're living them. For franchises and brands, reaching this die-hard audience may be the best decision of all. In the end, the statistics reinforce the argument: in the IPL, icons such as Kohli and Dhoni keep defining the game on and off the scoreboard.