JioStar, a collaboration between Reliance Industries, Disney, and Bodhi Tree, is set for a significant expansion and rebranding of its sports broadcasting division in preparation for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. According to The Economic Times, the company plans to introduce several regional sports channels in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD).

As part of this transformation, the Sports18 brand will be phased out and replaced with Star Sports. This transition will involve rebranding five existing Sports18 channels, further solidifying Star Sports’ dominance in the Indian sports broadcasting market.

Under the new branding strategy, Sports18 1 will be renamed Star Sports 2 Hindi, Sports18 2 will become Star Sports 2 Telugu, and Sports18 3 will be rebranded as Star Sports 2 Tamil. Additionally, Sports18 Khel will adopt the name Star Sports Khel, continuing to offer a diverse range of sports content. The HD versions—Star Sports 2 Hindi HD, Star Sports 2 Telugu HD, and Star Sports 2 Tamil HD—are set to launch on March 15, 2025, catering to a premium audience. Star Sports 2 Hindi HD will take the place of the current Sports18 1 HD channel.

With these changes, JioStar’s sports network will expand to 24 channels across SD and HD formats in multiple languages. In another strategic move, the company is shifting its entertainment channels, Colors Rishtey and Star Utsav, to free-to-air (FTA) platforms, increasing its FTA offerings to six channels and reaching a broader audience in India.

To streamline its portfolio, JioStar will discontinue nine channels, including Comedy Central SD & HD, Vh1 SD & HD, MTV Beats SD & HD, Bindass, Colors Odia, and Star Kiran HD.

After this restructuring, JioStar will operate a total of 130 pay and FTA channels across SD and HD formats. The company will also offer 83 broadcaster packs, including an FTA pack featuring six channels.