Reliance To Stop IPL Streaming On JioCinema Post Hotstar Merger
It is understood that Reliance Industries will no longer stream the Indian Premier League (IPL) on its JioCinema platform from the 2025 season onwards. After merging with Disney India for USD 8.5 billion/- in February 2024, the merged entity boasts 120 TV channels and two major streaming services: Jio Cinema and Disney+ Hotstar. IPL and other Sports Events to Shift to Disney+ Hotstar It is reported that the latest sports events will be shifted to Disney+ Hotstar by January 2025. Jio Cinema, holding digital rights for cricket matches in India, including IPL, will not have sports streaming any more. Instead, sports content, such as the ICC tournaments, will be consolidated on Disney+ Hotstar. This transition decision is thus believed to be prompted by the better live streaming technology of Hotstar and its potential in handling targeted advertising while presenting itself as an attractive place for many of these high-demand sports events. Technological Edge and Future Plans of Hotstar With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final, wherein it touched a record 59 million viewers, Hotstar has certainly proved to be highly reliable in terms of handling high viewership. As reported, Sajith Sivanandan, head of Hotstar in India, has made all teams aware of the changes that are coming in live sports streaming. Bringing all content under the one home of Hotstar will maintain the optimization of user experience and take advantage of the backend streaming capabilities of Hotstar. Lack of Clarity on Entertainment Content There is no clear news concerning the merger of entertainment content between Jio Cinema and Disney+ Hotstar. It is uncertain whether these services will coexist or if one of the players will become extinct. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
