Jio Hotstar has announced it can no longer continue broadcasting ICC cricket matches for the remaining duration of their four-year contract due to significant financial losses. With major platforms like Sony, Amazon, and Netflix showing no interest in acquiring the right.
Contract Details of Jio Hotstar
JioStar has said it cannot keep showing ICC cricket matches for the rest of their four-year deal because they are losing a lot of money. Big companies like Sony, Amazon, and Netflix don’t want to buy the rights because they are too expensive. Now, JioStar must either continue the contract and lose more money or quit the deal altogether. This makes the future of ICC’s TV rights unclear.
Potential Buyers
The ICC asked Sony Pictures Networks India, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix to take over, but none of them wanted to because it was too expensive:
- Sony owns the rights to some other cricket events, like those from the Asian Cricket Council, which cost $170 million. But they think the price for the ICC events is too high.
- Netflix mainly shows a few sports like WWE, while Amazon has some sports deals, such as with New Zealand Cricket.
Also Read: Best Apps to Watch Men’s 2026 T20 World Cup Free Streaming Free
JioStar Financial Impact
JioStar’s set-aside money for sports content losses doubled to ₹25,760 crore in one year. This shows that making money from sports media in India is difficult. If JioStar doesn’t find a new partner soon, it will have to keep broadcasting sports even while losing money.
The ICC has restarted sales for 2026-29 rights targeting $2.4 billion.
