The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long been a free streaming bonanza for cricket fans, courtesy of Reliance Jio’s generous offerings over the past two seasons. However, that era is coming to an end.
Reliance Jio announced on March 17 that its newly-merged JioHotstar platform, born from the Reliance-Disney joint venture, will no longer provide unrestricted free access to IPL matches for the 2025 edition. This shift marks a significant pivot from the past two years when JioCinema streamed the tournament at no cost, a move that hooked millions of viewers and reshaped digital sports consumption in India.
"With just a Jio SIM and a plan of Rs. 299 or above, customers can experience the ultimate cricketing season like never before," Reliance Jio said in a statement.
The decision follows the $8.5 billion merger of Reliance and Disney’s India media assets, finalized last year, which birthed JioHotstar as a powerhouse streaming service.
After snagging IPL digital rights for approximately $2.37 billion in 2023 for the next five seasons, Jio initially leveraged free streaming to build a massive audience base. The company is now transitioning to a hybrid model. While some IPL viewing will remain free up to a yet-unspecified limit, full access will require a subscription, starting at Rs 299.
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Recently, JioHotstar streamed the Champions Trophy 2025 for free.
New Plans and Perks
For those willing to pay, JioHotstar’s new subscription tiers come with added incentives. The base Rs 299 plan, available to Jio mobile users, unlocks IPL streaming with a 90-day JioHotstar subscription alongside unlimited voice calls, 1.5GB daily data and 100 SMS per day. It also bundles a 50-day trial of Jio’s broadband services.
Standalone JioHotstar plans range from â‚ą149 (mobile-only) to â‚ą1,499 (annual ad-free).
IPL 2025 kicks off on March 22 with the opening match scheduled between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens. The tournament will run across 13 venues, where a total of 74 matches will be played.
