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- F1 TV Pro will cost I₹249 per month, or I₹2,999 for full season
- Disney Star previously held Indian F1 rights
Formula One has made its F1 TV Pro over-the-top (OTT) platform available in India for the first time.
Previously, Formula One has been available via the Disney’s Star pay-TV network. However, Disney has been shifting its sports offering to focus on core properties in the Indian market.
As it stands, F1 TV Pro will provide the only access to live Formula One for fans in India, with the series yet to secure a traditional broadcast partnership in the region.
SportsPro says…
The pricing structure for F1 TV Pro’s initial rollout could be an issue in terms of securing reach. While India is a largely untapped motorsport market, Formula One has opted for pricing a model of I₹249 (US$3.00) per month, or I₹2,999 (US$36.25) for the entire season. This is high for the market when you consider that Disney’s Hotstar streaming plarform costs I₹299 per month or I₹1,499 for an annual subscription and has a far broader content offering even beyond its sports content.
The new Formula One season starts on 5th March in Bahrain and it remains to be seen whether a broadcast deal will be agreed before the lights go out in two weeks’ time. Reports suggest the current asking price does not make business sense for any broadcasters.
Formula One races are said to bring in around six to eight million viewers per race in India, so if other, cheaper rights properties are able to bring in more eyeballs at a lower cost then the business case is not there to do a deal.
