IPL
Disney Star has confirmed reports that it will broadcast select Indian Premier League (IPL) matches on its free-to-air (FTA) TV channel Star Utsav Movies.
Confirmed:
- 12 games to be broadcast live with Hindi commentary in SD
- All IPL matches will be shown on Star Sports’ pay-TV premium sports channel with multiple language and HD viewing options
- Disney Star has retained domestic TV broadcast rights to the Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament for I₹23,575 crore (US$3.02 billion) covering the 2023 to 2027 cycle
Context:
This is the first time Disney Star has decided to broadcast the IPL on a FTA channel in India. The move comes as Viacom18, the IPL digital rights holder for the Indian subcontinent, reportedly plans to air the tournament for free on its JioCinema streaming product.
Disney Star, therefore, may have opted to make some of its games available via FTA in a bid to fight for greater viewership and advertising revenue against Viacom18.
Coming next:
The IPL season gets underway at the end of this month, following the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) T20 tournament.
