JioCinema, Zee battle in arbitration over $1B cricket rights deal
JioStar India—a team-up between Reliance and Disney—has ramped up its claim against Zee, now asking for over $1 billion after their big cricket broadcast deal for ICC events (2024-27) collapsed.
The two sides are locked in a high-stakes arbitration, with both pointing fingers over who broke the contract.
What's the exact issue?
Back in 2022, Zee scored TV rights to major men's cricket tournaments, while Star kept digital.
But Zee allegedly missed a huge $203 million payment and didn't provide required bank guarantees.
Star says that's breach of contract; Zee fires back saying Star didn't meet some conditions first and is actually owed an $8 million refund.
Wider implications of this case
This isn't just about two media giants arguing—it shows how massive (and risky) sports broadcasting deals have become in India.
With legal hearings set for November 2025, the outcome could shake up how future cricket rights are handled—and who gets to bring the game to your screen.