Disney+ Hotstar expands further into live events with Coldplay’s India show

The news: Disney+ Hotstar will exclusively stream Coldplay's largest-ever concert from India's 132,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium on January 26, marking a significant expansion of the platform's content beyond sports.

Content expansion: Disney+ Hotstar aims to transform Indian streaming.

• The platform leverages advanced technology and unmatched regional reach to deliver nationwide access to premium entertainment, which was previously limited to major urban centers.
• The streaming strategy complements Disney+ Hotstar's existing cricket partnerships, which have already established it as India's leading sports destination.
• As the service broadens availability to premium entertainment access across India, it’s looking to create revenue opportunities through advertising and partnerships with global artists.

Why it matters: Evolving content strategies are important to stand out amid intensifying competition. In this case, India’s diverse population and rising internet access could help Disney+ Hotstar tap new markets.

Live concert streaming offers unique advantages:

• Events create content from existing performances with minimal additional cost.
• Concerts provide family-friendly entertainment aligned with Disney's brand.
• The format allows platforms to test large-scale streaming capabilities.

The Indian market in particular presents significant opportunities:

• India's subscription video-on-demand market is projected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2023 to $2.1 billion by 2028.
• Only 33% of Indian sports fans use subscription streaming services, suggesting strong upside potential as the market continues its digital transformation.
• The Indian streaming landscape has 219.3 million viewers watching ad-supported content exclusively, while only 39.3 million maintain their own paid subscriptions (as opposed to sharing an account with friends or family). Disney+ Hotstar has an ad-supported plan called Super, and its Premium plan is ad-free, except for live sports.

Our take: While Coldplay's billion-dollar tour and 10 million tickets sold globally demonstrate the band’s draw, this streaming event represents more than just a concert. For Disney+ Hotstar, it serves as a crucial test case for delivering high-quality entertainment at scale in India, where:

• The massive population and growing streaming market offer substantial audience potential.
• Success could establish a template for future entertainment events beyond the platform's dominant cricket partnerships.
• Live concert streaming could create a model for global artists to reach Indian audiences through digital platforms.