India’s JioCinema broke the global record for the most simultaneous viewing of a live stream event on Monday, surpassing the long-standing milestone set by Disney’s Hotstar, as Asian tycoon Mukesh Ambani was absent ‘y cost to expand his digital empire.
The Indian streaming app, whose partners include James Murdoch’s Bodhi Tree-backed Viacom18, broke the record Monday night, attracting more than 32 million concurrent viewers to the final match of the 16th edition. in the Indian Premier League cricket tourney between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.
In a high point for Hotstar, the platform got an impressive 25.3 million concurrent viewers for a cricket match in July 2019, a record that has not been challenged for years. However, as the platform moved its IPL streaming service to a paid format, it struggled to surpass this benchmark in subsequent years, highlighting the complexities of balancing reach and revenue within the content. in the streaming sector.
Drawing a page from Hotstar’s earlier strategy, Viacom18 seems to be steering its course in the same direction. The Indian entertainment giant, whose biggest investor is Ambani’s Reliance, in a strategic move last year emerged victorious in a $3 billion bidding war against Disney, which acquired the digital rights for more popular IPL for a period of five years till 2027.
As part of its streaming strategy, Viacom18’s JioCinema app is offering free streaming of the tournament to viewers across South Asia, a move that could potentially change the digital streaming landscape in the region, analysts say.
JioCinema, which also offers free access to its basic content to Jio telecom network subscribers, recently launched a premium tier. Last month, users could opt for an annual premium plan, unlocking access to a wider range of content for a modest price of 999 Indian rupees ($12).
Viacom18 has secured deals with international entertainment powerhouses Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal in recent weeks to make the premium offering a more compelling proposition for potential subscribers.