JioHotstar's Bold Move for IPL 2025: A New Era of Paid Streaming Begins

The days of free IPL streaming are officially over! JioHotstar has made a strategic move by requesting telecom giants Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) to bundle its streaming subscriptions with their data plans. This development marks a major shift in how Indian audiences will access the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025—the most-watched cricket tournament in the country.

JioHotstar’s Plan: Bundling Subscriptions for Maximum Reach

As per a report in the Economic Times, JioStar—a joint venture formed through the merger of Disney’s Star India and Reliance’s Viacom18—is actively negotiating with major telecom operators to ensure its premium IPL content reaches a billion viewers across TV and digital platforms. The transition from free to paid streaming is expected to significantly impact data consumption, creating new revenue streams for both telecom companies and streaming platforms.

“In 2024, IPL viewership reached 620 million on JioCinema and 541 million on the Star Sports network,” stated an industry expert. By integrating JioHotstar subscriptions into telecom plans, JioStar aims to tap into India’s massive digital audience while enhancing its monetization model.

Impact on Indian Telecom and Viewership

Industry analysts predict that bundling streaming services with telecom data packs will mirror the explosive surge in data consumption seen during the initial free IPL streaming era. With IPL content now exclusively behind a paywall, these telecom partnerships could be the key to ensuring JioHotstar remains the go-to platform for cricket lovers.

“These partnerships will help JioHotstar reach a large internet audience, especially now that live sports are paywalled,” a senior executive involved in the discussions told Economic Times. Talks are underway for both mobile and home broadband bundles, ensuring widespread accessibility.

IPL 2025: The Biggest Event for JioStar

IPL 2025 is the most crucial event for JioStar since its formation. The company has already secured Rs 4,500 crore in advertising revenue and onboarded 20 major sponsors to capitalize on IPL’s vast reach.

Additionally, JioHotstar’s content deal with Airtel recently expired, making renewal negotiations a top priority. This move follows the massive success of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which recorded 5.4 billion views, including a staggering 1.24 billion views for the India vs. New Zealand final, with a peak concurrency of 61.2 million viewers.

Telecom Giants and JioHotstar Bundles

According to TRAI data (as of December 2024), India’s leading telecom providers have massive subscriber bases:

• Reliance Jio – 476.58 million users

• Bharti Airtel – 289.31 million users

• Vodafone Idea (Vi) – 126.38 million users

Currently, Jio offers JioHotstar access on select prepaid plans, including a three-month subscription. Sources indicate that Airtel and Vi are expected to roll out similar bundled plans once agreements are finalized, ensuring seamless access to IPL and other premium content.

JioHotstar Subscription Plans for 2025

JioHotstar, backed by JioStar, offers a tiered subscription model:

• Mobile Plan – Rs 499/year

• Super Plan – Rs 899/year

• Premium Plan – Rs 1,499/year (Ad-free, except for live events)

Final Thoughts: A New Era for IPL Streaming

As JioHotstar transitions IPL into a subscription-driven model, Indian audiences are set to experience premium, high-quality cricket streaming. While some fans may miss the era of free IPL access, this move is poised to redefine the future of sports broadcasting in India, creating new revenue opportunities for both telecom operators and streaming platforms.

With IPL 2025 on the horizon, all eyes are on how these telecom partnerships unfold and whether they can retain the massive audience base that once enjoyed free IPL access.