New Delhi: On Friday, there was a boom in the Indian sports broadcast landscape after Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and The Walt Disney announced a never-seen-before its mega merger. A joint venture with a valuation of INR 70,352 crore has been formed in the name of JioStar. This indicates one thing – a monopoly in the Indian sports market has come to the fore.
This was inevitable ever since the talks of the merger was first announced in February this year. The new website for the joint venture is JioStar.com with platforms JioCinema, Viacom18, and Star India coming under one umbrella. Moreover, this merger has ensured to garner the masses of sports aficionados in India with major tournaments across the spectrum have been managed by the two sporting giants, who used to be fierce competitors until today.
Name any major sporting festival which has massive follower, the JioStar.com merger has it at its disposal. The Indian Premier League, the Premier League, the Wimbledon, BWF tournaments, FIH hockey tournaments, ICC tournaments, MotoGP races, the Indian Super League, Pro Kabaddi, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. The destination for all the high-octane tournaments will be JioStar.
The other cricket matches that run throughout the year will also be telecasted by this bolstering network Indian media. Big Bash League, SA20 league, bilateral tours in India, Australia and South Africa. The distinguishing of regional channels adds a different flavour for the viewers and both Jio and Star owners do understand on how to target a vast and niche sports audience by innovation in broadcasting, be it adding various angles in the digital streaming.
Over 100 channels and two OTT platforms combining to promise cracker of entertainment for the sports lovers overall.
Who stands closer to Jio Star in Indian sports broadcasting?
Sony Sports Network, for a decade at least, turned to be the key rival to Star Sports network before Viacom18 threw its hat in the sports coverage market in India a couple of years ago. Now that two of the giants have merged to see glad tidings with more moolah in the pocket, Sony Sports Network will still be a competitor to Jio Star, though a trivial one.
Sony Pictures Network was in consideration to form a merger with Zee Entertainment, but that didn’t materialise after the two media firms called off the plan in January this year.
Notwithstanding the recently-formed joint venture, Sony will continue to hold its own market with the broadcaster still telecasting and streaming UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Bundesliga, Australian Open, French Open, US Open, England cricket, Sri Lanka cricket, New Zealand cricket, The Hundred, Asian Hockey tournaments, India home hockey matches, WWE, UFC, and Asian Games.
A joint venture with a valuation of INR 70,352 crore has been formed in the name of JioStar. This indicates one thing – a monopoly in the Indian sports market has come to the fore. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
