Cricket is a religion in India, not simply a sport. And what would be nicer for fans than free access to their favorite Indian Premier League (IPL) games? Yep, you read that correctly! Viacom 18, backed by Mukesh Ambani, has won the battle to broadcast IPL games for free after paying over Rs 23,758 crore, knocking out competitors such as Disney Hotstar and Amazon Prime. This blog will analyze how Viacom 18’s decision would help IPL fans and the Indian sports industry. Now, let’s plunge in and start exploring!
Viacom18 Bags Streaming Rights for IPL
This company secured the IPL broadcasting rights after a negotiating battle that paid the media firm around Rs 23,758 crore. Viacom18 has won the rights for the first time, beating competitors like Disney Hotstar and Amazon Prime. During the previous five years, Disney’s Hotstar enjoyed streaming rights. The event was anticipated to be aired on two of Viacom18’s over-the-top (OTT) services, Voot and JioCinema, and one TV channel, Sports18.
Merger of Viacom18 and JioCinema
The combination of Viacom 18 Media Private Limited and Jio Cinema OTT platform, controlled by Reliance Projects and Property Management Services Ltd (RPPMSL), a wholly owned division of Reliance Industries Limited, was allowed by the Competition Commission of India last year. Nevertheless, at a recent press conference, Viacom18 Media CEO (Sports) Anil Jayraj stated that no official statement concerning merging the two channels had been made.
“We will establish Jio Cinema based on existing material and fresh acquisitions.”
IPL to be Free on JioCinema
For the first time this year, IPL will be available for free on JioCinema. According to Jayaraj:
“We’re attempting to establish a sports business that both thrills the Indian customer and attracts the most significant number of viewers. We’re attempting to gain access to everyone with an internet-enabled device. This year, we want to do it for free to acquire as many people as possible, and marketers can choose which population they want to target.”
The 16th IPL will be Viacom18’s second major payday, following the FIFA World Cup 2022, which will be streamed on JioCinema. Unfortunately, the FIFA event frustrated football supporters in India due to glitchy, choppy streaming quality. But, Viacom18 guarantees viewers that this year’s IPL broadcasting will be far superior.
Delighting Indian Consumers
Reliance Industries, helmed by Mukesh Ambani, has been generating significant advances in the Indian media business. Its recent initiative to deliver free IPL broadcasting to millions of fans throughout India is a show-stopper.
Ambani’s action not only provides access to high-quality sports material to millions of followers that would have been excluded, but it also expands the reach of his media conglomerate. Advertisers may now reach a considerably broader audience, given that IPL viewing is free on JioCinema.
This implies that the IPL would become a further appealing platform for advertising. This will now be able to target a specific audience.
Conclusion
Viacom18, owned by Mukesh Ambani, has obtained the licensing rights to the Indian Premier League and will now watch the competition for free on JioCinema. This is a game-changer for millions of Indian fans that would have been excluded. It also gives advertisers the ability to reach a much broader audience. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries is still making significant movements in the Indian media business, and this one is no exception.