Daybreak Free cricket was Jio’s big play. It’s also why the maths stopped mathing
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Dec 8, 2025 Explore how Jio transformed cricket viewing in India by offering free streaming, challenging the subscription model. Learn about the shift to an ad-heavy revenue approach and the impact of declining ad spending from online gaming platforms. The episode dives into Jio's mounting losses and its decision to exit a lucrative contract, showcasing the volatile nature of live sports viewership and the structural changes in rights economics. Discover how viewer expectations have evolved and what this means for the future of cricket broadcasting.
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Freeing Cricket Removed The Subscription Safety Net
- Jio made ICC cricket free, removing subscriptions as a reliable revenue floor for rights holders.
- That forced Jio to rely solely on advertising to justify the $3 billion streaming deal.
Ad Market Shock From Gaming Ban
- Advertising can support big sports rights only with steady, predictable demand and many high-paying advertisers.
- The ban on online money gaming removed major ad spenders and thinned the cricket ad market sharply.
Balance Sheets Reflect Broken Rights Math
- JioStar doubled provisions for expected losses on long-term sports contracts, signaling contracts will likely lose money.
- Star had previously booked similar provisions, showing this is a structural problem not a one-off.