Reliance-backed Viacom18 may serve IPL free on digital

Viacom18 has hinted that it intends to make IPL available free on digital in India after winning exclusive streaming rights for the Indian subcontinent and television as well as digital rights in three out of five international territories.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Viacom18 said, “Viacom18 will be able to take India’s biggest sporting event to every nook and corner of the country. It will make IPL available to every Indian in every part of India, including the 60 million Freedish homes which today are not able to access this popular content.

Although Viacom18 officials told NewsDrum that the reference to Freedish homes in the press statement was an oversight, it intended that the cricketing league will reach IPL dark 60 million Freedish homes through the highly affordable digital platform.

The intent is to make the tournament available to all cricket fans across the country. “How the synergy with Jio rolls out is yet to be worked upon. But the objective remains to tap 60 million free dish TV homes digitally to grow the IPL viewership pie,” said an executive who did not want to be quoted.

In her statement on Wednesday, Nita Ambani, Director, Reliance Industries, had said, “Just like with everything we do, our mission is to take the joyful experience of IPL to cricket fans wherever they are - in every part of our country and around the world wherever they are.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Anil Jayaraj, in an internal note, said that Viacom18 will take India’s biggest sporting event IPL to every nook and corner of the country and make it available to every Indian consumer, something that even television has failed to do.

Reliable sources told NewsDrum that Viacom18 is planning to target a large section of the viewers who do not have access to IPL by making it free on digital.

“This does not mean that the entire tournament will be streamed free of cost. The rights bought under Package C (India Digital Rights 18-game non-exclusive pack) for Rs 3,258 crore may be made free across Jio platforms. They could even launch a new app,” said one of the sources NewsDrum spoke to.