Battered and bruised Disney Plus Hotstar is desperately looking forward to the ICC One Day International World Cup 2023 to regain lost subscribers — and in the process, its lost prestige. The streaming giant has now zeroed in on a formula to rake in subscribers and also viewing numbers. Disney Plus Hotstar has just announced that it will stream the ICC World Cup 2023 free to watch for viewers on the Disney+ Hotstar mobile app. It will also stream the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 free to watch for Disney Plus Hotstar subscribers, but only on the mobile app.
The free-to-watch scheme for a big ticket sporting event is not a new formula by any means. It is a tried and tested formula by none other than Disney Plus Hotstar’s aggressive rival Jio Cinema. The latter used the free streaming formula to devastating effect in the streaming of the IPL 2023 this year. By streaming all IPL 2023 matches free, Jio Cinema booked record viewing numbers for all matches, and especially so for buzzy matches.
Ever since Jio Cinema snatched the IPL streaming rights and HBO content from under Disney Plus Hotstar’s nose, it has become quite apparent to all and sundry that the two are engaged in a bitter battle to the finish for subscribers.
Even more apparent is the fact that Jio Cinema is clearly gunning for Disney Plus Hotstar’s subscribers base, and through it, Disney Plus Hotstar’s position in the Indian streaming market.
By making the hugely anticipated Cricket World Cup and The Asia Cup free to stream on its mobile app, Disney Plus Hotstar has made its first move to fight back against Jio Cinema’s disruptive tactics. The ICC Cricket One Day International World Cup is the most anticipated cricket event for Indian cricket fans. The fact that India is the sole host for the thirteenth edition of the World Cup makes it an even more exciting event for cricket fans in the country.
Let’s see if the free-to-watch tactic for the Cricket World Cup and Asia Cup proves to be as lucrative and successful for Disney Plus Hotstar as it was for Jio Cinema at the time of the IPL 2023.
The Asia Cup will be on from 30th August to 17th September, and will be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The ICC World Cup is scheduled from 5th October to 19th November, 2023, and will be held in India.
Have a look at Disney Plus Hotstar’s announcement for free streaming for the Cricket World Cup and Asia Cup on the mobile app –