Hotstar aims to reach of 300 million viewers during Vivo IPL 2019

Over-the-top (OTT) platform Hotstar aims to reach 300 million viewers for the upcoming Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL).

The streaming platform has also partnered with Swiggy to ensure that users don't miss a single moment of the cricketing action this season.

"In India, cricket is a very intrinsic part of our fabric and IPL over the years has become one of the largest sporting events globally. Last season alone, an astounding 202 mn viewers watched VIVO IPL on Hotstar, and we expect this number to grow tremendously this year," said Varun Narang, Chief Product Officer, Hotstar.

Narang said, "We wanted to introduce something special to protect that ethos, and added the interactive, social layer to enhance the cricket watching experience. With a strong technology backbone and engaging experience for the viewers coupled with disruptive marketing solutions for brands, we are extremely excited to bring VIVO IPL on Hotstar like never before."

The streaming giant is rolling out a first-ever social cricket-watching experience for the new season which kicks off on 23 March 2019.

This year, with 'Koi Yaar Nahi Far', Hotstar will bring people together irrespective of their location. Viewers will get the opportunity to invite their friends and family to Hotstar, enabling them to watch the matches and participate in the Watch N'Play game together.

Fans will be able to compete and see where they stand against their friends and family through the new social leader board.

They will also be able to make their voices heard by chatting about the match or their Watch N'Play experience, not only with their friends and family but also with experts and celebrities.

Besides winners of the Watch N'Play games will be able to redeem their points courtesy the exclusive partnership with Amazon Pay. The campaign TVC showcasing these features rolls out on 8th March 2019.

Furthermore, with the intent to take this experience deeper and wider into India, the matches will be streamed across 8 languages, the statement said.