Disney+ Hotstar, the popular OTT platform in India, has announced that it will stream the upcoming Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for free for mobile users. This move comes in response to increasing competition from rivals like JioCinema, which offered free streaming of the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year. With the loss of digital streaming rights for some of its popular content and a decline in subscriber count, Disney+ Hotstar aims to boost its viewership numbers by making cricket accessible to a wider audience.
By lifting the paywall for mobile users, Disney+ Hotstar aims to democratize the game of cricket and cater to the growing number of mobile users in India. Sajith Sivanandan, head of Disney+ Hotstar, expressed the company’s belief that this decision will help grow the overall ecosystem and enhance the viewer experience.
The move by Disney+ Hotstar comes after JioCinema acquired the IPL digital streaming rights for a staggering INR 23,758 crore for the 2023-2027 period. JioCinema’s decision to stream the IPL for free resulted in record viewership, posing a significant challenge to Disney+ Hotstar, which previously had the rights behind a paywall.
While the move to offer free cricket content may attract more viewers and boost Disney+ Hotstar’s viewership, analysts predict that it could lead to higher losses for OTT platforms in the long run. It may also contribute to consolidation in the industry, as smaller players struggle to survive with low average revenue per user (ARPU) and free offerings. Additionally, subscription revenue growth for global or broadcaster-led OTT platforms could be negatively impacted.
Despite the challenges, Disney+ Hotstar still retains the rights to popular cricket tournaments such as the Asia Cup 2022, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. In a highly competitive Indian OTT market, Disney+ Hotstar competes with platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and SonyLIV.
The battle for viewership and market share in the OTT industry continues to intensify, with platforms employing various strategies to attract and retain audiences. Free access to popular sporting events like the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is Disney+ Hotstar’s latest attempt to stay competitive in this crowded landscape.
