JioCinema from Reliance breaks the global record for the most free cricket streaming. As Asian entrepreneur Mukesh Ambani spends no money building up his digital empire, India’s JioCinema on Monday surpassed Disney’s Hotstar’s previous record for the most concurrent views to a livestreamed event.
A brief about JioCinema from Reliance breaks the global record for the most free cricket streaming
The 16th installment of the Indian Premier League cricket event, which featured Chennai Super Kings versus Gujarat Titans, attracted more than 32 million simultaneous viewers on the Indian streaming platform, which includes James Murdoch’s Bodhi Tree-backed Viacom18 as an investor.
Hotstar reached a high point when, in July 2019, a cricket match on the platform attracted an amazing 25.3 million concurrent viewers, setting a record that stood for several years. To illustrate the challenges in striking a balance between reach and money within the streaming industry, the platform struggled to exceed this standard in the years after switching the IPL streaming service to a paid version.
Viacom18 appears to be directing its course in a manner akin to Hotstar’s prior strategy. In a strategic change last year, the Indian entertainment giant—whose main investor is Anil Ambani’s Reliance—came out on top in a $3 billion bidding fight against Disney, acquiring the digital rights to the hugely successful IPL for a five-year term through 2027.
Analysts say Viacom18’s JioCinema app’s decision to give free streaming of the event to viewers throughout South Asia as part of its streaming plan has the potential to change the region’s digital streaming environment.
JioCinema, which also provides Jio telecom network members with free access to its basic programming, recently launched a premium tier. Since last month, users have had the option to purchase an annual premium membership, which grants them access to a wider variety of content for the reasonable cost of 999 Indian rupees ($12).
To increase the appeal of its premium offering to potential subscribers, Viacom18 recently signed agreements with global entertainment giants Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal.
Disney is still succeeding significantly despite the obstacles. According to data from the industry group, Broadcast Audience Research Council, the worldwide behemoth, which is showing the game via satellite television in India, racked up 482 million cumulative views over the first 66 matches.
