Disney is delaying the launch of Disney+ in India.
Disney had planned to time the launch with the start of the Indian Premier League season, but given the spread of COVID-19, the sporting event has been rescheduled, and now Disney is revising its plans.
Uday Shankar, president of The Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman of Star & Disney India, said in a statement:
“We recently announced that Disney+ would launch in India through the Hotstar service in conjunction with the beginning of the Indian Premier League cricket season. Given the delay of the season, we have made the decision to briefly pause the roll-out of Disney+ and will announce a new revised premiere date for the service soon.”
The Indian market could be a bellwether for the company’s fortunes in emerging markets. Since its rollout on November 12, 2019, Disney has garnered 28 million paying subscribers in nearly a dozen countries.
Disney+ goes live across many major European countries, including the UK, on March 24.