All live sporting events, including the popular Indian Premier League (IPL), will now stream exclusively on Disney’s Hotstar app following the merger of Disney and Reliance’s media assets, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Key Decision in the Disney-Reliance Merger
The $8.5 billion merger, agreed upon in February, combined the two giants’ media holdings, creating India’s largest entertainment company with 120 TV channels and two major streaming platforms—Hotstar and JioCinema. This decision to stream live sports solely on Hotstar marks the first major integration since the merger and suggests that Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, which holds the majority stake in the new venture, may not shut down the Disney platform. However, it’s still unclear whether Hotstar will be rebranded in the future.
Hotstar’s Technological Edge in Streaming
One of the factors behind choosing Hotstar over Reliance’s JioCinema for live sports streaming is its superior technology for handling large-scale live content, especially sports events, which often see millions of concurrent viewers in India. Hotstar’s back-end system is also known for delivering targeted ads effectively. According to one source, the transition to Hotstar for all live sports is expected to be completed by January 2025.
Hotstar, with its vast experience in streaming high-profile cricket events, is set to retain broadcasting rights for major tournaments, including the International Cricket Council (ICC) events, the English Premier League, and the Pro Kabaddi League. This decision solidifies its standing as the go-to platform for live sports in India.
Impact of the Merger on Content Integration
While the decision for live sports has been finalized, it remains unclear how other entertainment content will be handled under the merged venture. Whether Reliance and Disney will continue to operate two separate streaming platforms or consolidate their offerings into one is yet to be determined.
Disney-Reliance’s Cricket Dominance
The merger has sparked concerns about the companies’ stronghold over cricket broadcasting rights in India. In response, Disney and Reliance made concessions to India’s competition regulator, agreeing not to raise advertising rates unreasonably.
Reliance’s JioCinema currently holds the broadcasting rights for IPL cricket, as well as rights for the Winter Olympics and Indian Super League football. Meanwhile, Hotstar has built a strong reputation for glitch-free live streaming, especially in cricket, with a record 59 million concurrent viewers during last year’s Men’s Cricket World Cup final.
A New Chapter in Indian Entertainment
This decision to move all live sports streaming to Hotstar marks a significant milestone in the Disney-Reliance merger, solidifying Hotstar’s role as a dominant player in India’s booming sports entertainment industry. Fans of the IPL and other major sporting events will now look to Hotstar for seamless, high-quality coverage of their favorite events.
As the integration continues, further announcements on how the companies will manage their vast entertainment libraries and streaming platforms are anticipated, signaling a potential reshaping of India’s digital entertainment landscape.
