Reliance to Discontinue IPL 2025 Streaming on Jio Cinema Following Merger with Hotstar

Reliance to Discontinue IPL 2025 Streaming on Jio Cinema Following Merger with Hotstar

Reliance to Discontinue IPL 2025 Streaming on Jio Cinema Following Merger with Hotstar

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Mumbai, October 19, 2024 – Reliance Industries has announced plans to discontinue streaming the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Jio Cinema following its recent merger with Disney India. Currently, Reliance holds the digital streaming rights for the IPL, while Disney+ Hotstar retains the rights for ICC events and other sports.

The merger, which took place in February 2024, was valued at approximately $8.5 billion (around Rs 71,455 crore). The newly formed joint venture encompasses 120 TV channels and two streaming services: Jio Cinema and Disney+ Hotstar. As a result of this merger, all cricket and sports events, including the IPL, are set to transition to Disney+ Hotstar, although no official announcement has yet been made by the company.

Despite this shift, Jio Cinema will continue to retain broadcasting rights for other events, including the IPL, English Premier League soccer, and the Domestic Pro Kabaddi League. In contrast, Disney+ Hotstar holds the rights to a wide range of sports events, including all ICC tournaments. Sajith Sivanandan, head of Hotstar India, recently informed team members about the plan to migrate live sports streaming from Jio Cinema to Disney+ Hotstar.

This strategic move appears to be influenced by Hotstar’s superior backend streaming technology for live content and its advanced capabilities in targeted advertising. Reports suggest that the target date for the complete transition of sports content from Jio Cinema to Disney+ Hotstar is set for January 2025. Hotstar has garnered a reputation for reliable live streaming services, as demonstrated by record viewership during the ODI Cricket World Cup final last year, which attracted 59 million viewers.

Currently, there is no information regarding whether entertainment content from the two platforms will be integrated or if one app will be phased out while the other remains operational. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the merger in August 2024.

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