IPL 2025 Goes Big: JioStar To Collaborate with Jio, Airtel & Vi for Streaming Tie-Ups To Boost Viewership

JioStar, the newly formed media powerhouse from the merger of Disney's Star India and Reliance's Viacom18, is in advanced discussions with major Indian telecom operators, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), to bundle its streaming platform, JioHotstar, with mobile and broadband data plans as per reports. The Champions Trophy 2025 just ended, and now the entire country is eagerly awaiting the IPL 2025. These strategic partnerships come at a crucial time, as JioStar aims to expand its audience base ahead of the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 17th season.

JIOstar wants to Capitalize on IPL 2025

With live sports content now behind a paywall, JioStar's bundling efforts with telecom operators are expected to be a game-changer. The company aims to surpass its 2024 IPL viewership, which reached 620 million on JioCinema and 541 million on the Star Sports network, by leveraging the vast user bases of Jio, Airtel, and Vi. This may help JioStar to achieve its target of over 1 billion viewers across digital and television platforms.

Jio Recharge Plans with Hotstar Subscription

Reliance Jio currently offers several recharge plans that include a complimentary JioHotstar subscription, catering to cricket and entertainment enthusiasts.

The Rs 195 Cricket Data Pack is a data-only add-on plan designed specifically for cricket lovers. It provides a free three-month JioHotstar subscription and is valid for 90 days. Users get 15GB of 4G/5G data, allowing them to stream matches and other content in HD resolution on one mobile device at a time.

For those looking for a more comprehensive package, Jio recently launched the Rs 949 Prepaid Plan. This plan offers a validity of 84 days, along with 2GB of 4G data per day and unlimited 5G data. It also includes unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day. Additionally, users get a free three-month JioHotstar Mobile subscription, making it an excellent choice for those who want a complete data, voice, and entertainment package.

Vi Recharge Plans with Hotstar Subscription

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has also rolled out plans that bundle a free JioHotstar subscription, making premium entertainment more accessible to its users.

The Rs 151 Data Pack is a budget-friendly add-on plan for those who need additional data without modifying their primary recharge. It includes 4GB of data, is valid for 30 days, and comes with a free three-month JioHotstar subscription.
For users who require more data, Vi offers the Rs 169 Data Pack, which provides 8GB of data with a validity of 30 days. This plan doubles the data compared to the Rs 151 pack while maintaining the same validity period and free JioHotstar subscription.

For those looking for a full-fledged prepaid plan, the Rs 469 Prepaid Plan offers great value. It includes a validity of 28 days, along with 2.5GB of data per day and unlimited data from 12 AM to 12 PM. Users also get unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day, and a free three-month JioHotstar subscription. Additional benefits such as Weekend Data Rollover, Binge All Night, and Data Delight make it an attractive option for heavy data users and entertainment seekers.

IPL 2025 Expected Revenue

The potential partnerships with telecom giants come at a critical time for JioHotstar. Its content deal with Airtel expired last month, making its renewal vital for maintaining momentum, especially after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025-JioHotstar's first major tournament behind a paywall-garnered over 5.4 billion views. The India vs. New Zealand final alone drew 1.24 billion views and peaked at 61.2 million concurrent viewers.

With the IPL 2025 season projected to be a major revenue driver, JioStar is targeting ₹4,500 crore in advertising revenue and has already secured 20 sponsors eager to capitalize on the league's massive reach. The shift to a paid streaming model is also expected to contribute to the growth of India's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market, which rebounded to 125 million subscriptions in 2024 from 110 million in 2023 and is set to expand further in the coming years.