Although Dhoni fever in the IPL has escalated over the past two years, CSK support has endured.
To what extent does winning in the IPL correlate with fandom? You could argue that this is a big one by pointing to the most successful teams, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI), who each have five titles and routinely rank at the top of the ratings for sponsorship and viewing. However, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are also always in the mix and have an extremely devoted fan base despite never winning a championship.
Further hints come from a weekly poll conducted by market research and marketing advice firm Crisp Insights. The survey asks IPL supporters about their favourite team in 13 Indian locations, including the 10 that serve as the franchises' principal residences. Thirty of the respondents support CSK, and fifty per cent of them have a favourite. The majority of the remaining content is related to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), MI, and RCB. Following four years without a title, MI's fan base has suffered.
It's interesting to note that, despite CSK having lost more than two games in a row during an inconsistent season, fans continue to select them as their favourite team, according to this weekly poll conducted in association with market research firm Kadence. Fans flock to the stadiums and tune in on television for one man.