🚀 JioHotstar Teams Up with Jio, Airtel & Vi for IPL 2025 Streaming Bundles: End of Free IPL Era
✅ JioHotstar Seeks Partnerships with Telecom Giants for IPL 2025
JioHotstar is making strategic moves ahead of IPL 2025, entering into talks with Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) to bundle IPL streaming subscriptions with their data plans. With free IPL streaming now over, these partnerships aim to expand JioHotstar’s reach across India’s massive internet user base.
According to Economic Times, JioStar—the parent company of JioHotstar, formed through the merger of Disney’s Star India and Viacom18—plans to attract over 1 billion viewers across TV and digital platforms. In 2024, IPL viewership on JioCinema hit 620 million, while Star Sports reached 541 million.
📈 Telecom Partnerships to Boost Data Consumption
Industry experts predict that bundling JioHotstar subscriptions with mobile and broadband plans will drive a surge in data consumption, similar to the spike witnessed when IPL was streamed for free on JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar.
“These telecom partnerships will help JioHotstar reach a broader audience, now that live cricket is behind a paywall,” an executive involved in the deal told ET.
Both mobile data plans and home broadband deals are reportedly part of the negotiations, ensuring seamless access to IPL 2025.
💰 JioStar Targets ₹4,500 Crore in IPL Ad Revenue
IPL 2025 is a major revenue driver for JioStar. The company aims to generate ₹4,500 crore through ad sales, having already secured 20 sponsors.
JioHotstar, which boasts:
- 50 million paid subscribers
- 500 million total users
is expected to play a pivotal role in boosting India’s Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) market. According to Media Partners Asia, SVOD subscriptions in India rebounded to 125 million in 2024 and are projected to keep growing.
🔥 Airtel & Vi to Offer JioHotstar Bundled Plans
Jio currently offers JioHotstar access with select prepaid plans, including a 3-month subscription. Airtel and Vi are expected to introduce similar bundled plans once agreements are finalized, ensuring easy access to IPL and other exclusive content.
As per TRAI data (Dec 2024), India’s telecom subscriber base includes:
- Jio: 476.58 million
- Airtel: 289.31 million
- Vi: 126.38 million
💡 JioHotstar Subscription Plans
JioHotstar offers tiered pricing plans:
- 📱 Mobile: ₹499/year
- 💻 Super: ₹899/year
- ⭐ Premium: ₹1,499/year (ad-free, except for live events)