Lalit Modi

Now, obviously, that deal was about way more than just this contract, but this was an important piece of it.

Now, obviously, that deal was about way more than just this contract, but this was an important piece of it.

And IPL was a big part of this because there's something else that happens in India, right? the year before in 2016, which is Reliance, launches Reliance Geo. Yes. I remember when this was happening. Facebook invested $5.7 billion for a 10% stake in this new subsidiary of Reliance. What is Reliance Geo? It is a smartphone data provider.

And IPL was a big part of this because there's something else that happens in India, right? the year before in 2016, which is Reliance, launches Reliance Geo. Yes. I remember when this was happening. Facebook invested $5.7 billion for a 10% stake in this new subsidiary of Reliance. What is Reliance Geo? It is a smartphone data provider.

It's a telecom wireless data service for smartphones in India. And Mukesh Ambani and Reliance Jio basically slashed the price of data plans to effectively zero in India. So before Reliance Jio launched in 2016, smartphone ownership in India was de minimis. 30 million handsets was the active install base. Wow.

It's a telecom wireless data service for smartphones in India. And Mukesh Ambani and Reliance Jio basically slashed the price of data plans to effectively zero in India. So before Reliance Jio launched in 2016, smartphone ownership in India was de minimis. 30 million handsets was the active install base. Wow.

Yeah, so it's only just the upper class.

Yeah, so it's only just the upper class.

Yeah, and there's already cheap Android everywhere. This is like the version of India not getting television until the 90s. We're talking 2016 here. And smartphone penetration is still basically zero. And the reason was because data plants were still really expensive. Mm-hmm. Vodafone, the other carriers, they were pricing data in India at the same level as data in the U.S.

Yeah, and there's already cheap Android everywhere. This is like the version of India not getting television until the 90s. We're talking 2016 here. And smartphone penetration is still basically zero. And the reason was because data plants were still really expensive. Mm-hmm. Vodafone, the other carriers, they were pricing data in India at the same level as data in the U.S.

So it was just totally inaccessible to the population. Crazy. Reliance Jio comes in. 30 million handsets when they launched in 2016. Fast forward... Six years to 2022, 800 million install base of handsets. So this is the other thing that completely turbocharges IPL and is why IPL and IPL rights become so important for Disney. Because smartphone adoption, mobile adoption is happening in India.

So it was just totally inaccessible to the population. Crazy. Reliance Jio comes in. 30 million handsets when they launched in 2016. Fast forward... Six years to 2022, 800 million install base of handsets. So this is the other thing that completely turbocharges IPL and is why IPL and IPL rights become so important for Disney. Because smartphone adoption, mobile adoption is happening in India.

What is Disney and Bob Iger's number one strategic priority during this period? Globalization. Well, not just globalization. That's always a priority, but... Oh, right. And what are you going to count in Disney Plus? I mean, Netflix counts their subscribers all over the world as Netflix subscribers.

What is Disney and Bob Iger's number one strategic priority during this period? Globalization. Well, not just globalization. That's always a priority, but... Oh, right. And what are you going to count in Disney Plus? I mean, Netflix counts their subscribers all over the world as Netflix subscribers.

100%. And so Disney Plus is the major strategic priority. You've now got Star that has the digital and terrestrial TV rights to IPL, which is the biggest driver of media consumption in the country by far, not even close. Disney's trying to grow and juice Disney Plus subscribers. What is the very best thing you could do? Get IPL rights and stream them on Disney Plus. Boom. There you go.

100%. And so Disney Plus is the major strategic priority. You've now got Star that has the digital and terrestrial TV rights to IPL, which is the biggest driver of media consumption in the country by far, not even close. Disney's trying to grow and juice Disney Plus subscribers. What is the very best thing you could do? Get IPL rights and stream them on Disney Plus. Boom. There you go.

Before that, though, the other piece of this star deal, new deal for IPL, was... Because A, it was a much bigger investment and Star and Rupert were dying to get back into Indian cricket. And now you've got this mobile streaming opportunity happening, especially once Disney acquires the company. They invest a lot more in production values for these IPL broadcasts.

Before that, though, the other piece of this star deal, new deal for IPL, was... Because A, it was a much bigger investment and Star and Rupert were dying to get back into Indian cricket. And now you've got this mobile streaming opportunity happening, especially once Disney acquires the company. They invest a lot more in production values for these IPL broadcasts.

All the stuff that you see in North American or European sports broadcasts, they do. They mic up the players. They put mics on the wickets. They add graphics packages.

All the stuff that you see in North American or European sports broadcasts, they do. They mic up the players. They put mics on the wickets. They add graphics packages.