iWorld
OTTplay strikes gold with Amazon Prime tie-up
MUMBAI—OTTplay Premium joined hands with Amazon Prime to offer Prime Lite benefits to its customers, delivering unparalleled value. Amazon Prime Lite subscriptions will be available through OTTplay in two ways – through bundled offerings with OTTplay’s partner Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as NetPlus, KCCL, NXT, Railtel, and more, making it even easier for users across 1000+ cities and towns in India to seamlessly access Prime Video’s high-quality content, and also enjoy other Prime Lite benefits through varied subscription plans with OTTplay, as well as a top-up at ₹799 per year for OTTplay Premium subscribers who can enhance their existing subscription with Prime Lite benefits.
With this collaboration, OTTplay will provide its customers unlimited access to Prime Video’s premium entertainment that includes an extensive library of award-winning and blockbuster Indian and international Originals, TV shows, movies, and more, on a single device of their choice, in HD quality with ads. Prime members also enjoy benefits like free unlimited Same-Day/Next-Day delivery, special access to everyday Prime offers, exclusive access to shopping events like Prime Day, and early access to Amazon Great Indian Festival.
“At Prime Video, we remain committed to making it even more convenient for customers across India to access our diverse library of Indian and international Originals, movies, series, and more,” said Prime Video India director & head of SVOD Business Shilangi Mukherji. “This collaboration with OTTplay not only further simplifies access to Prime Video’s high-quality content selection but also delivers additional shopping and shipping benefits through Prime Lite—from unlimited free One-day/Two-day delivery across millions of products to early access to exclusive deals, and much more.”
OTTplay Co-founder & CEO Avinash Mudaliar said, “This is a significant moment for us. Prime Video is a global leader in entertainment and bringing it to our platform reflects our commitment to delivering the most comprehensive and accessible video streaming experience in India. We are certain that our customers will appreciate the exciting combination of entertainment and other Prime benefits offered through this collaboration.”
MUMBAI: If cricket were a binge-worthy series, this one just dropped its most explosive pilot yet. The opening weekend of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League has come out swinging, smashing records across both television and digital platforms and reaffirming the tournament’s unmatched pull in India’s sporting and media landscape.
Backed by two high-octane matches featuring 200-plus run chases, the tournament delivered a combined reach of over 515 million viewers across linear TV and digital platforms via JioStar’s broadcast ecosystem, including Star Sports and JioHotstar. More tellingly, engagement surged alongside reach, with total watch-time hitting 32.6 billion minutes, a sharp 26 per cent jump over the opening weekend of the previous season.
The numbers reveal a deeper shift in how India watches cricket. Connected TV (CTV) consumption rose by 30 per cent, while peak concurrency on digital platforms jumped 61 per cent, signalling a growing appetite for shared, big-screen streaming experiences. On traditional television, the momentum held strong, with TV ratings (TVR) climbing 24 per cent compared to earlier seasons’ opening matches.
A key driver of this spike has been the evolution of the viewing experience itself. This season introduced differentiated feeds, most notably a Hindi CTV broadcast featuring cricketing voices such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan. Blending expert analysis with a watch-along format, the feed has added a conversational, almost second-screen feel without requiring viewers to leave their screens.
According to JioStar CEO for Sports Ishan Chatterjee, at the opening weekend underscores not just scale but also the depth of engagement that live cricket continues to command. He noted that the combination of large-screen viewing and digital interactivity is creating a more immersive and personalised experience, while also delivering tangible outcomes for brand partners.
From the league’s perspective, the early numbers point to a tournament that continues to reinvent itself. Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairman of the IPL, said the strong start reflects how high-quality cricket paired with enhanced viewing formats is resonating with audiences nationwide, while Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted the “quality of engagement” as a key takeaway, not just the scale.
Commercially too, the opening weekend signals robust advertiser confidence. The broadcast is led by co-presenting sponsors including Google (Search AI Mode), Campa Energy, and Havells & Lloyd, alongside co-powered partners such as Birla Opus, Hero Motocorp and Amazon. A long tail of associate sponsors from OpenAI and Asian Paints to Flipkart and Amul further reflects the league’s unmatched ability to aggregate advertiser interest at scale.
Taken together, the opening weekend numbers are less a spike and more a statement. With 515 million viewers, 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, and double-digit growth across formats, IPL 2026 has not just started strong, it has set the tone for a season that looks poised to push the boundaries of both sport and spectacle.
