Blackstone is an American alternative investment management company and is considered a private equity behemoth. Thomas Staggs and Kevin Mayer are Disney executives, who had left the conglomerate, but had returned at the behest of Disney CEO Robert Iger.
Alternatively, Blackstone might go all-in, acquiring the entire Disney portfolio, which is said to include Star India TV network, OTT services and a substantial stake in Tata Play, formerly known as Tata Sky. And asset manager Vanguard may facilitate the deal between Disney and Blackstone Disney is said to have been wrestling with a $44.5 billion debt burden and a declining share price.
Disney CEO Robert Iger is said to be exploring strategies to cut costs by a substantial $5.5 billion and considering options for legacy TV networks like ABC. It is said that when Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2017, the Indian operations were valued at around $14 billion. But now, it may be valued at between $5 billion to $7 billion.
Disney may also have some strategic options in mind for its Star India division, like a JV or a sale. And there’s, also, been a struggle for cricket streaming rights in India. Disney is said to have aimed to boost its streaming business by offering free cricket content on smartphones, hoping to increase advertising revenue.
However, it has lost streaming rights for key cricket tournaments, including the IPL. Video streaming is said to have a market size of about $1.1 billion in 2022. Revenue from the Indian segment in OTT platforms is estimated at about $2.5 billion for 2022. The video streaming market in India is projected to grow by about 13% from 2023-2027.
