JioStar Teams Up with Jio, Airtel and VI for IPL 2025 Streaming

JioStar, the new media company formed by the merger of Disney’s Star India and Reliance’s Viacom18, is in talks with leading telecom providers—Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi). The goal is to bundle its streaming platform, JioHotstar, with mobile and broadband plans. These partnerships come just as excitement builds for the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, following the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Expanding IPL Viewership with Telecom Partnerships

With live sports now behind a paywall, JioStar is looking to attract more viewers through telecom tie-ups. The company aims to beat its 2024 IPL viewership, which saw 620 million viewers on JioCinema and 541 million on Star Sports. By leveraging the large user bases of Jio, Airtel, and Vi, JioStar hopes to surpass 1 billion viewers across digital and TV platforms.

Jio Recharge Plans with JioHotstar Subscription

Reliance Jio offers several recharge plans that include free JioHotstar subscriptions:

• ₹195 Cricket Data Pack: Designed for cricket fans, this plan includes 15GB of 4G/5G data and a free 3-month JioHotstar subscription, valid for 90 days.
• ₹949 Prepaid Plan: This comprehensive plan comes with 84 days of validity, 2GB of 4G data per day, unlimited 5G data, unlimited calls, and 100 SMS per day. It also includes a free 3-month JioHotstar Mobile subscription.

As of March 18, 2025, at 9:40 AM IST, Jio Financial Services share price (NSE: JIOFIN) is trading at ₹221.97, up by ₹2.45 or 1.12% for the day. The stock opened at ₹221.10, reached a high of ₹222.52, and a low of ₹220.71. 

Vi Recharge Plans with JioHotstar Subscription

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has also introduced plans that offer free JioHotstar subscriptions:

• ₹151 Data Pack: A budget-friendly add-on plan with 4GB of data, valid for 30 days, along with a free 3-month JioHotstar subscription.
• ₹169 Data Pack: This plan offers 8GB of data for 30 days and includes a free three-month JioHotstar subscription.
• ₹469 Prepaid Plan: Includes 2.5GB of data per day, unlimited data from 12 AM to 12 PM, unlimited calls, and 100 SMS per day. It also provides benefits like Weekend Data Rollover and Binge All Night.

As of March 18, 2025, at 9:42 AM IST, Vodafone Idea share price (NSE: IDEA) is trading at ₹7.05, up by ₹0.11 or 1.59% for the day. The stock opened at ₹6.96, reached a high of ₹7.06, and a low of ₹6.96.

IPL 2025’s Revenue Potential

JioHotstar’s deal with Airtel recently expired, making its renewal crucial as the platform prepares for IPL 2025. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which was JioHotstar’s first major tournament behind a paywall, attracted over 5.4 billion views. The India vs. New Zealand final alone saw 1.24 billion views, with a peak of 61.2 million concurrent viewers.

For IPL 2025, JioStar aims to generate ₹4,500 crore in ad revenue and has already secured 20 sponsors. The shift to a paid streaming model is also expected to boost India’s subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market, which grew from 110 million subscriptions in 2023 to 125 million in 2024. With IPL 2025, this number is expected to rise even further.

Conclusion

JioStar’s telecom partnerships mark a major shift in India’s sports streaming landscape. With IPL 2025 set to be a record-breaking event, these collaborations will drive digital viewership, ad revenues, and the growing SVOD market.

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