India vs Australia: Disney+ Hotstar logs record-breaking 5.4cr viewers
For the ongoing India vs Australia ICC World Cup 2023 final, Disney+ Hotstar has experienced a record-breaking 5.4 crore concurrent viewers. This surpassed the previous record of 5.3 crore concurrent viewers during the India vs New Zealand semi-final match. The viewership peaked in the final overs of India's bowling attack when they triumphed over New Zealand by 70 runs in 48.5 overs. Streaming cricket matches, Hotstar has consistently broken viewership records, also helping it maintain its lead over rival JioCinema.
Success attributed to free streaming of cricket matches
Disney+ Hotstar's triumph can be attributed to its offering free, ad-supported streaming services for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup (on mobile) and Asia Cup to Indian users. This strategy followed JioCinema's move to live-stream Indian Premier League (IPL) matches for free earlier in 2023. In June, Sajith Sivanandan, head of Disney+ Hotstar, emphasized that by expanding access to the Asia Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup to a broader audience, the company anticipates boosting growth in the overall ecosystem.
Previous matches' viewership and milestones
Previously, during the India vs New Zealand match on October 22, Disney+ Hotstar saw a total of 4.3cr concurrent viewers, surpassing the 3.5cr concurrent viewership record set during the India vs Pakistan match on October 14. Moreover, during the semi-final against New Zealand on Wednesday, a number of factors helped Hotstar garner 5.3cr viewers, including Virat Kohli achieving his 50th ODI century. Also, Mohammed Shami became the first Indian bowler to claim seven wickets in a single World Cup match.
Disney+ Hotstar grapples with decline in subscriber base
Disney+ Hotstar began offering free access to cricket matches as it has been facing challenges with a decline in subscribers. It lost around 23.7 million paid subscribers within a year, including a decline of 2.8 million subscribers in the recent quarter. This is primarily attributed to the loss of key content offerings, such as IPL streaming rights and premium HBO content, which are now held by JioCinema. The streaming platform is presently exploring different options for its operations in India.
