Well, for all the SonyLIV lovers out there who enjoy watching the platform’s content via Tata Play Binge, we have some really sad news for you. It seems Tata Play has removed SonyLIV from its package plans. Reports of a contractual dispute between Tata Play and SPNI (Sony Pictures Networks India) have been circulating online for quite some time now.
This issue gained serious attention in late May this year. According to online reports, Tata Play decided to remove all SPNI channels from its packs after SPNI demanded a 10–15% hike in subscription fees.
Tata Play was reportedly against the hike, citing stagnant ARPU and rising subscriber churn.
Now, it looks like Tata Play Binge has pulled the final plug by removing SonyLIV from the platform. As expected, SonyLIV fans are venting their frustration and anger over the move.
There’s no denying that SonyLIV has a loyal fanbase, even if its subscriber count doesn’t match the big players like JioHotstar, Prime Video, or Netflix. Its growing regional library and quality original content were key reasons many people accessed SonyLIV through Tata Play Binge.
This move will likely result in subscriber churn, with users either cancelling their Tata Play Binge subscriptions to subscribe to SonyLIV directly or shifting to competitor aggregator platforms that still offer it.
To make matters worse, Tata Play has announced that “refunds are not applicable”, which could further fuel customer dissatisfaction.
Tata Play Binge’s main appeal lies in bundling multiple OTT platforms under one subscription. Removing a popular service like SonyLIV weakens that value proposition, making it less appealing to both new and existing users.
Tata Play has already been dealing with financial challenges, with reports of widening net losses. A drop in its subscriber base due to this dispute could only worsen the situation. Let’s see how this unfolds. Stay tuned for more updates.