The official digital streaming partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, JioCinema, has hinted at the introduction of ad-free subscription plans.
The digital platform currently offers subscription plans at Rs 999 annually and Rs 99 monthly, which contain ads.
But, the recent developments suggest a potential shift, and it comes amidst a period of strong performance and strategic expansion for the online video platform.
During the ongoing IPL matches, the Indian streaming platform has been airing an advertisement about the same which features a couple watching TV. Sports commentary played faintly in the background as the ad pivoted to the question, “To aaj kya plan hai?” (“What’s the plan today?”). The couple’s response, “Aaj dekhenge series of ads” (“We’re watching a series of ads today”), served as a humorous nod to the current lack of ad-free options.
Social media posts from JioCinema further fueled speculations, hinting at the arrival of a new plan. News reports, based on these developments, suggest that the upcoming plan could offer ad-free streaming as a key feature.
This potential introduction of ad-free plans coincides with other strategic moves by JioCinema. The platform recently clocked more than 71.5 crore viewers for the epic clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which took place on April 14. This immense viewership highlights the platform’s reach and potential.
Furthermore, the over-the-top (OTT) platform has announced a targeted advertising campaign aimed at small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) during the ongoing IPL. This initiative signifies a strategic shift by offering SMBs a cost-effective avenue to reach a massive audience.