iWorld
Hotstar and Akamai create internet history
MUMBAI: Hotstar, India’s leading premium streaming platform, leveraged Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the world’s most trusted and largest cloud delivery platform, to create streaming history on 22 May 2018 during the first qualifier match of VIVO IPL 2018. The match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings attracted an unprecedented 8.26 million peak concurrent viewers tuning in simultaneously to witness the nail-biting finish, thereby breaking all previous records in online video streaming across the world. Over four hours, more than 26 million viewers tuned into Hotstar to watch the match.
The previous record is believed to have been established by YouTube when Felix Baumgartner’s space jump in 2012 saw a peak of just over 8 million concurrent viewers tuning in to watch the event.
Hotstar’s steady march into the record books started in 2017, when it recorded a peak concurrency of 4.8 million simultaneous viewers during the India-Pakistan ICC Champions’ Trophy final match, the highest in APAC at the time. The opening week of Vivo IPL 2018 upended this record with 5.5 million concurrency recorded on 10 April, followed by the next peak of 7.1 million on 25 April. The peak seen during the ICC Champion’s Trophy Final was nearly doubled during the VIVO IPL 2018 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings. With all sports streaming records broken, the next frontier was to go beyond just sports and raise the bar on streaming as a whole.
Commenting on the historic development, Hotstar, CEO, Ajit Mohan added, “Four years ago, when we started streaming IPL, 8 million viewers would have been a big deal for the whole tournament. Crossing 8 million simultaneous users is a testimony to the power of VIVO IPL and evidence of the abiding passion of cricket fans. It is not just about the scale, however. It is about reinventing the sports experience online and constantly raising the bar. Our objective is to create the future of social TV. And we are proud that the tech that we are building is expanding the frontiers of online video.”
Akamai Technologies, Vice President, Media, APJ, Parimal Pandya commented, “Over the past year and a half, Hotstar has broken several online viewing records at the regional level. A contributing factor was technology from Akamai playing a role in bringing down the latency drastically so users can enjoy the live action almost as well as people watching it on their television. This is a clear indicator of the fact that, driven by technology from Akamai, live sporting action can be enjoyed on a smartphone which is the new frontier for audience engagement and growth.”
VIVO IPL 2018, now in its final week, to be concluded on Sunday 27 May 2018, is the fifth year that Hotstar is streaming the tournament. The current edition of the tournament marks a sharp upgrade in viewing experience, with additions like WatchN’Play, a skill based game that tests the cricket fans’ knowledge as they watch, VR to really immerse the viewer in the on-field action, and feeds available in 8 languages.
iWorld
Mastercard expands concert series with comedy and music format
Vir Das, Zakir Khan and Papon headline multi-city shows across India.
MUMBAI: From punchlines to power chords, the stage is getting a genre upgrade. Mastercard has unveiled the next phase of its multi-city concert series in India, blending stand-up comedy with live music in a format that mirrors the country’s evolving entertainment tastes. The new line-up brings together a diverse mix of performers, including comedians Vir Das and Zakir Khan, alongside singer Papon. The shift marks a departure from earlier editions that were primarily music-led, featuring global and Indian acts such as Enrique Iglesias, A. R. Rahman and Sunidhi Chauhan.
Curated in collaboration with Tribe Vibe and EVA Live, the expanded series is designed to create a broader cultural platform that brings humour, storytelling and music into a single live experience.
Vir Das will kick off the comedy segment in New Delhi with four shows across two days at Yashobhoomi on 9 and 10 May. Meanwhile, Zakir Khan is set for an extended run in Mumbai, with nine shows scheduled at Dome SVP Stadium across 12, 13, 14, 19 and 20 June, with additional dates expected.
On the music front, Papon will headline a six-city tour, beginning in Chandigarh on 16 May, followed by Ahmedabad on 29 May and Lucknow on 30 May. The tour will then move to Bengaluru on 6 June, Hyderabad on 7 June, and conclude in Indore on 14 June.
The series continues to offer exclusive benefits for Mastercard cardholders, including priority ticket access and premium lounge experiences at venues positioning the platform as both an entertainment and lifestyle proposition.
Beyond the spotlight, the initiative carries a social dimension. Through its partnership with Learning Links Foundation, Mastercard has enabled nearly 90 students from underserved communities across cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Chandigarh to experience live events often for the first time aiming to spark interest in careers within the experience economy.
As live entertainment becomes increasingly hybrid and experiential, Mastercard’s latest move signals a simple insight: today’s audience doesn’t just want a show, they want a story, a laugh and a memory, all rolled into one.
