Watching the Indian Premier League (IPL) without a subscription could soon be a thing of the past. Reports suggest that Reliance and Disney’s newly merged streaming service, Jio Hotstar, is moving to a paid model, potentially ending free IPL streaming.
According to a Reuters report, Jio Hotstar—formed after the Reliance-Disney merger—will operate on a hybrid system. The app can be accessed for free initially, but paid plans will be introduced based on usage. Details on exactly when users will be required to pay remain unclear.
Reliance officials have not confirmed the move, but reports indicate that the basic subscription plan will start at ₹149 for three months. An ad-free version will cost ₹499 for the same period.
Last year, Reliance’s Jio Cinema bagged the digital rights for IPL for five years at $3 billion (around ₹26,000 crore). Meanwhile, Disney+ Hotstar held broadcasting rights for international cricket and Premier League football in India. With the merger, the new platform is expected to house all of this under a single subscription.
The Jio Hotstar app is said to contain 3 lakh hours of content, covering not just IPL but also the Winter Olympics, Indian Super League football, and more. Those with existing Jio Cinema or Hotstar subscriptions can reportedly switch to the new app without hassle.
So far, IPL fans have enjoyed free streaming via Jio Cinema, a strategy that helped Reliance gain a huge viewer base. But the shift to a paid model raises questions—will viewers be willing to pay? Will this affect IPL’s digital reach? Nothing is confirmed yet, but changes seem inevitable.
The tournament kicks off on March 22, with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Eden Gardens. An official schedule is yet to be announced.
