In the hustle-bustle world of today where seemingly all sorts of different prices seem to be on the rise, who doesn’t prefer to indulge in freebies here and there. So is the case with content streaming online, with a special focus on sports content.
Considered to be one of the most significant drivers of over-the-top (OTT) platforms, sports content poses a huge potential for servicers to capitalize off of. However, with the trend of free sports streaming being on the rise, it could become a potentially major blocker for the growth of the Indian OTT industry.
Let’s look at a few facts. In 2023, OTT content spending reportedly increased by 52%, with sports rights accounting for nearly 51% of the total. India has an estimated sports audience of 678 million people who watch sports content on OTT for a minimum of 30 minutes per year.
That being considered, Disney+ Hotstar was the most preferred choice for sports fans, which was followed by JioCinema. However, with the latter platform gaining momentum due to the option for viewers to stream sports content like IPL 2024 for free, it will soon poach users from other sports streamers quite soon.
The IPL 2024 alone raised the viewing numbers on JioCinema by 38% from the previous season. This translates to the fact that the growth of the OTT industry, while projected at a 11.1% CAGR, will be positioned either around platforms like JioCinema that offer free streaming services or streaming giants like Prime Video and Netflix.
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