JioStar drops ESPN Tag as Cricinfo returns to its original identity

NEW DELHI: Back to where it all began. After years under the ESPN banner, one of cricket’s most recognisable digital brands is returning to its roots. JioStar has rebranded ESPNcricinfo as Cricinfo, reviving the platform’s original identity more than three decades after it was first launched in 1993.

The move forms part of the broader operational realignment following the merger between Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Company’s India business, which was completed in November 2024.

Long before it became ESPNcricinfo, the website was known simply as Cricinfo, earning a loyal following among cricket fans for its ball-by-ball coverage, statistics, analysis and reporting. The ESPN prefix was added after the platform’s association with the global sports media brand, creating one of the most recognised names in cricket journalism.

Now, with the ESPN branding being retired, JioStar is restoring the platform’s original name while signalling continuity rather than change in its editorial mission.

“We will continue building Cricinfo as a definitive destination for the most passionate cricket fans globally and it will remain true to its founding principles of serving cricket fans everywhere. The next phase of evolution will include AI-powered innovations to enhance our storytelling, which, as ever, will stay rooted in originality,” said Cricinfo editor-in-chief Sambit Bal.

The transition will see the platform operate under the domain Cricinfo.com, while its mobile applications will also carry the Cricinfo name across app stores.

For users, the change is expected to be seamless. Visitors using the old ESPNcricinfo web address, existing bookmarks or archived links will automatically be redirected to the new site, ensuring uninterrupted access to content and services.

The rebrand marks more than a cosmetic change. It reconnects the platform with the identity that helped shape online cricket coverage in its early years, while positioning it for a future that combines its editorial heritage with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

For cricket fans, it is a familiar scorecard with a refreshed header. Cricinfo is back on the crease, carrying a name that many still associate with the internet’s earliest and most influential cricket destination.