Badminton is one of the most popular racquet sports in the world and is one of the most popular sports in India. But strangely enough, it is not available to watch on Hotstar, one of the leading OTT platforms in India. This has left many badminton fans wondering why there is no badminton on Hotstar.
What is Hotstar?
Hotstar is an over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform owned by Novi Digital Entertainment, a subsidiary of Star India. It was launched in February 2015 and has been gaining popularity ever since. Hotstar offers a variety of content such as films, TV shows, live sports, and news. It is available in India, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
Why is Badminton Not Available on Hotstar?
There are several possible reasons why badminton is not available on Hotstar. The most likely reason is that Hotstar does not have the broadcasting rights for badminton. Hotstar has the rights to broadcast cricket, football, and other sports, but not badminton.
Another possible reason could be that badminton is not as popular as other sports in India. Cricket is by far the most popular sport in India, followed by football. Badminton is popular in some parts of India, but not as popular as cricket or football. This could be why Hotstar has chosen not to broadcast badminton matches.
The third possible reason is that badminton is not as profitable as other sports. Other sports such as cricket and football generate more revenue for broadcasters, which makes them more attractive to platforms like Hotstar. Badminton may not be profitable enough for Hotstar to invest in broadcasting rights.
What Other OTT Platforms Broadcast Badminton?
Although Hotstar does not broadcast badminton, there are other OTT platforms that do. Voot, another leading streaming platform in India, broadcasts badminton matches. It has the broadcasting rights for the BWF World Tour, the highest level of international badminton competition.
Voot also offers a variety of other badminton content, including highlights, live score updates, and exclusive interviews with players. In addition, Voot also offers exclusive content such as behind-the-scenes footage and documentaries on badminton.
Is There a Possibility That Badminton Will Be Available On Hotstar in the Future?
It is possible that Hotstar may acquire the broadcasting rights for badminton in the future. Hotstar has already acquired the rights to broadcast other sports such as cricket and football, so it is possible that it could acquire the rights for badminton as well.
However, it is also possible that Hotstar may never acquire the rights for badminton. Since badminton is not as popular or profitable as other sports in India, Hotstar may choose to focus on other sports instead.
Conclusion
Badminton is one of the most popular racquet sports in the world and is particularly popular in India. However, it is not available to watch on Hotstar, one of the leading OTT platforms in India. This is likely because Hotstar does not have the broadcasting rights for badminton or because badminton is not as popular or profitable as other sports. Despite this, there are other OTT platforms such as Voot that broadcast badminton matches. It is possible that Hotstar may acquire the rights for badminton in the future, but it is also possible that it may never do so.