as reported by sources familiar with the matter. Disney has explored various options with potential suitors, ranging from a comprehensive sale of its Disney Star business to a more fragmented transaction, potentially involving sports rights and the regional streaming service Disney+ Hotstar. Earlier this year, Disney faced challenges when it lost its streaming rights for the Indian Premier League cricket tournament to Viacom18 Media Pvt., a collaboration between Paramount Global and Reliance. Following this, Disney had explored the possibility of Reliance acquiring a stake in its Indian unit.
Discussions are ongoing, and it is uncertain whether they will result in a deal. Disney may also decide to retain its assets for an extended period. A representative for Disney has declined to comment on the matter.
Reliance, on the other hand, stated that the company continuously evaluates various opportunities and will make necessary disclosures when appropriate, refraining from further comments.
Despite a decline in subscriber numbers for Disney Star following the loss of IPL streaming rights, Disney still holds the television rights for cricket through 2027. Additionally, JioCinema, the streaming service backed by Reliance, achieved a record of 32 million concurrent viewers during the IPL final in May. The platform has since introduced charges for some content and secured a multi-year deal to stream Warner Bros Discovery Inc.’s exclusive content in India.
