- By Namrata Vijay
- Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:32 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IPL 2025: There is no complete free streaming available for IPL 2025 on JioHotstar, which is the new merger between Viacom 18 and Star India and is known as JioStar. The new streaming app, JioHotstar, was unveiled on Friday after Jio Cinema and Disney+ Hotstar merged and became JioStar. JioStar will provide nearly three lakh hours of entertainment, and live matches will have 50 crore users, and will try to give a better watching experience as this new hybrid subscription model will take away privileges of Indian cricket fans.
As per a Reuters report, the fans would be able to watch the first few matches for free. And once these free minutes end, they will be shown a subscription page where the starting price of plans is Rs 149.
JioCinema has been providing free IPL streaming services ever since it brought the broadcasting rights for five years way back in 2023 for $3 billion. But this year the fans will have to pay for the subscription to watch the whole match.
The decision to change the IPL streaming services was made after Mukesh Ambani's Reliance and Walt Disney were involved in a $8.5 billion merger in 2024.
"Once a user develops affinity to the platform, starts watching free, becomes loyal ... the subscription will kick in then," a source was quoted as saying to Reuters and revealed that each user would begin their subscription at a different time.
Reliance, who will control this merger, didn't make any comment according to the report.
What are subscription plans in JioHotstar?
This merger's streaming would be available on the newly launched app, where the price of the basic is Rs 149 and the ad-free plan would be Rs 499 for three months, the source revealed.
JioHotstar would be providing streaming services for major sports tournaments like ICC events, IPL, and WPL. This would also cover tournaments like the Indian Street Premier League and major series from BCCI, ICC, and state associations. Except cricket, the other sports tournaments that would be live-streamed are Premier League, Wimbledon, Pro Kabaddi, and ISL.
"What sets JioHotstar apart is its elevated streaming experience — featuring ultra-HD 4K streaming, AI-powered insights, real-time stats overlays, multi-angle viewing, and range of 'culture' and 'special interest' feeds — ensuring fans enjoy deeper, more immersive access to the sports they love," the company's official release said.
The Reliance-Disney merger had livestreamed more than 100 TV channels and streaming apps in the country's $28 billion media and entertainment industry, where its competitors are Netflix and Amazon Prime.
