Disney Plus could lose 20 mn subscribers after ceding IPL streaming rights

About 50 million, more than one-third, of the worldwide subscribers come from Disney+ Hotstar, a product offered in India and other South Asian nations, and cricket has a been a big driver of that

Walt Disney Co. could lose as many as 20 million of its Disney+ subscribers after being outbid for the streaming rights to Indian Premier League cricket matches this week.
 

The estimate, from Media Partners Asia, means the company may have trouble reaching its goal of as many of as 260 million global Disney+ subscribers by 2024, according to Vivek Couto, executive director of the research firm.

“IPL drives customer acquisition,” he said in an email. “It’s regarded as entertainment not just sports by Indian households - women and men.”

Few consumer products have been as successful as Disney+. The service, which offers