The Indian Premier League (IPL) will not be available for complete free streaming on JioHotstar, the newly established joint venture resulting from the merger of Viacom18 and Star India, now known as JioStar. This new streaming service was launched on Friday following the integration of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar into JioStar. While JioStar boasts nearly 300,000 hours of entertainment, live sports coverage, and over 500 million users, its new hybrid subscription model is expected to limit the benefits previously enjoyed by cricket enthusiasts across India.

As reported by Reuters, fans will only have access to a few minutes of an IPL match without a subscription. Once these free minutes are exhausted, users will be redirected to a subscription page, with plans commencing at 149 rupees.

JioCinema had previously offered free IPL streaming after acquiring the rights to the tournament for five years, starting in 2023, for a total of $3 billion. However, beginning in 2025, fans will be required to pay for a subscription based on their viewing preferences to access full matches.

This alteration in the streaming terms for the IPL, recognized as the richest cricket league globally, follows the merger of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance and Walt Disney's media assets in India, valued at $8.5 billion, which took place last year.

A source informed Reuters that "once a user develops affinity to the platform, starts watching free, and becomes loyal... the subscription will kick in then," noting that the initiation of each user's subscription could vary in timing.

The sources chose to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the plans. Reliance, which oversees the joint venture, did not provide comments when approached for clarification, as stated in the report.

What are subscription plans in in JioHotstar?

The streaming service of the joint venture will be accessible through a newly rebranded application, which will feature a basic subscription plan priced at 149 rupees ($1.72) and an ad-free option available for 499 rupees ($5.75) for a duration of three months, according to an initial source.

JioHotstar serves as the platform for major tournaments such as ICC events, IPL, and WPL. It also highlights grassroots cricket through initiatives like the Indian Street Premier League and various events organized by BCCI, ICC, and state associations. In addition to cricket, it showcases international sporting events, including the Premier League and Wimbledon, while also supporting domestic leagues such as Pro Kabaddi and ISL.

The distinguishing factor of JioHotstar lies in its enhanced streaming experience, which includes ultra-HD 4K streaming, AI-driven insights, real-time statistics overlays, multi-angle viewing options, and a variety of 'culture' and 'special interest' feeds. This ensures that fans have a more profound and immersive engagement with the sports they cherish, as stated in an official company announcement.

The Reliance-Disney partnership operates over 100 television channels and streaming applications within India's $28 billion media and entertainment sector, where it faces competition from platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, among others.

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