iWorld
Decoding the influence of IPL 2020 on Disney+Hotstar’s paid subscriber base
KOLKATA: Most of the Indian sports enthusiasts consider cricket as their religion. The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League will not only overwhelm the audience but will fill the void which has been due to the absence of major cricket tournaments in the last few months. There is no doubt that the official broadcaster Star Sports’ viewership will witness a rise during the league, but how Disney+Hotstar will benefit from it in terms of paid subscriptions is something to watch out for..
The media giant Walt Disney Company, which owns Hotstar after the acquisition of 21st Century Fox, planned a grand entry of its streaming service Disney+ in March. Utilising the fandom for IPL, the company decided to integrate it with Hotstar to exploit the existing users. The pandemic had forced them to launch it in the absence of the cricket showbiz. However, despite all the odds, the platform has been able to garner 8.63 million subscribers as of 30 June. Now, most of the experts believe IPL is going to boost the number further.
SBICap Securities institutional equity research head Rajiv Sharma is of the opinion that all the content available at this moment is on
predictable lines despite having differentiated storytelling, but live sports are completely off the shell. “Earlier, IPL used to have at least some competition with other cricket tournaments before or after the event. The dearth of enough good events may lead to a 2x-3x increase in viewership and brand participation for IPL,” adds Sharma.
Sharma, who is highly optimistic about IPL’s impact on Disney+Hotstar subscriber base, says that the number of new subscribers coming because of IPL will be 50 per cent higher as compared to earlier years. Moreover, the retention rate after the event will be 20-30 per cent higher; thanks to the library of Disney+.
Elara Capital VP – research analyst (media) Karan Taurani states that the platform’s viewership will be negative this season. According to him, TV viewership will increase at a much higher rate as most of the people will be at home during the matches. He adds that he does not see any fresh subscribers coming to the platform for IPL specifically.
Mirum India joint CEO Sanjay Mehta differs from Taurani’s view. Mehta opines that lockdown has accustomed viewers to consume content through OTT services. According to him, many people have now formed a habit of enjoying OTT services on Smart TVs or using devices like Chromecast to enjoy it on a large screen. Coupled with the starvation of premium cricket events or other
live sports, the new trends of consumption will benefit Disney+Hotstar subscription directly.
He says the focus should be on highlighting the fact that Disney+Hotstar gives access to a huge amount of other premium content along with IPL.
“Prima-facie, the decision to move IPL streaming to a premium account will see a decline in the overall digital audience. While I believe the core IPL fans will stick to Hotstar or the ones who don’t have a subscription may get onto the platform for the duration of the event. So we may see a spike for sure in short-term,” Isobar India COO Gopa Kumar comments. Notably, Jio has introduced new packs of Rs 499 monthly and Rs 799 quarterly plans giving access to Disney+Hotstar, which makes it clear that any Jio users will not enjoy IPL at zero cost this year.
As the majority of people will be at home, there might be a slight dip. However, owing to single TV per household phenomenon at
many places, you may see people logging in Disney+Hotstar to watch IPL,” he adds.
Kumar thinks the platform will come up with a marketing campaign for IPL very soon. According to him, the engagement story, the real-time response from the audience and interactive formats will be the key narrative of communication.
iWorld
Prime Video bets big on India with global originals, films and franchise expansion
Execs highlight scale, travelability and new IP bets as India anchors global strategy
MUMBAI: At Prime Video Presents 2026, the message was clear and confident. India is not just part of the plan, it is central to it.
In a lively fireside chat hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, Kelly Day, vice president of prime video and amazon mgm studios international, Nicole Clemens, vice president of international originals, and Gaurav Gandhi, vice president for Apac and Anz, laid out an ambitious roadmap. Think bigger stories, wider reach and a sharper focus on building franchises that travel.
Kelly Day, a regular visitor to India, set the tone early. Calling the country “one of the most important markets globally”, she pointed to the sheer scale and diversity of audiences as a driving force behind Prime Video’s growth. Indian Originals, she said, are not just local hits but global engines powering subscriptions and engagement.
That global appeal is already visible. According to Clemens, around 25 percent of viewership for Indian content now comes from outside the country. Shows rooted deeply in local culture are finding fans worldwide, proving that specificity, when paired with universal themes, travels well. From gritty dramas to sharp thrillers, Indian storytelling is increasingly crossing borders with ease.
Clemens, who joined recently to lead international originals, was particularly upbeat about India’s creative range. She highlighted a growing slate of over 100 shows in development and production, with more than 60 percent returning for multiple seasons. For her, the formula is simple. Authentic stories, told well, resonate everywhere.
Adding to the buzz, she teased new and returning titles, alongside a fresh superhero universe, the Kalyug Warriors. It signals a push into new genres while doubling down on familiar fan favourites.
If content is king, distribution is the clever courtier. Day outlined Prime Video’s layered business model in India, which blends subscription, rentals, add on channels and ad supported viewing through Amazon MX Player. The idea is straightforward. Give viewers choice, whether they want premium, free or pay per view.
India, she noted, has also become a testing ground for innovation. Tiered pricing, mobile only plans and language diversity have all been sharpened here before being exported to other markets. In many ways, the India playbook is now influencing global strategy.
For Gaurav Gandhi, the next chapter is about scale with intent. He outlined four priorities. Making Prime Video more accessible, pushing Indian content globally, building stronger franchises and supercharging the films business.
On films, the platform is moving beyond licensing into co productions and now theatrical releases in partnership with amazon mgm studios. These films will eventually stream on Prime Video, creating a full circle from cinema halls to living rooms across 240 countries.
Franchise building remains another key pillar. With hits like The Family Man, Mirzapur and Panchayat already enjoying multi season success, the focus is now on creating the next wave of enduring IP. Newer titles are already lining up for second seasons, signalling a steady pipeline.
What stood out through the conversation was a shared belief. Streaming in India is still in its early innings, and the runway is long. With a mix of local flavour and global ambition, Prime Video is betting that stories from India will not just stay at home, but travel far and wide.
Or as the executives seemed to suggest, the world is watching and India has plenty more to show.
