Mumbai : Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) and Disney Star announced that they have entered into a strategic licensing agreement under which the latter will licence to the former the television broadcasting rights of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Men's and Under 19 (U-19) global events for four years.
Disney Star will continue to be the sole provider of ICC tournament streaming via its digital platform, Disney+ Hotstar. This arrangement has been approved by the ICC.
“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership in the Indian media and entertainment landscape, and this association with Disney Star reflects our sharp, strategic vision for the sports business in India. As a one-stop television destination for ICC men’s cricket events until 2027, Zee will leverage the strength of its network to offer a compelling experience for its viewers and a great return on investment for its advertisers," said Zeel managing director & CEO Punit Goenka. “Long-term profitability and value-generation continue to be our areas of focus across the business, and we will always evaluate all the necessary steps that will enable us to make sports a compelling value proposition for the company. We look forward to working with ICC and Disney Star, to enable this strategic offering for our television viewers in India.”
This agreement allows Zeel to exclusively telecast on TV marquee events such as the ICC Men's T20 World Cup (2024, 2026), ICC Men's Champions Trophy (2025), and ICC Men's Cricket World Cup (2027), as well as key ICC U-19 events.
Also reads: Disney Star retains ICC TV & digital rights for India till 2027
Disney Star president & country manager K Madhavan said, “By securing the IPL television broadcast rights for 2023-27 and now opting to retain only the digital rights for ICC tournaments for 2024-27, we have in place a balanced and robust cricket offering for our audiences across linear and digital. Over the years, Disney Star has strengthened the appeal of international cricket in India, enabling it to reach diverse age groups and cultural demographics across all parts of the country. As India’s leading media house, we will continue to do so with our strong portfolio of cricket properties across television and digital.”
With the ICC digital rights secured for the next four years, Disney Star continues to remain India's home of sports. Its current portfolio also includes IPL television rights (2023-27), Cricket Australia television and digital rights (2023-2030), BCCI television and digital rights (2023), and Cricket South Africa television and digital rights (end of 2023-2024). Other major sports properties available on its platforms, in addition to cricket, include the Pro Kabaddi League, the Indian Super League, the Wimbledon Championship, and the English Premier League.
