Reliance Entertainment has acquired 70-75% stake in the cricket centric video streaming site willow.tv for an undisclosed sum. Reliance has also announced that it would be investing around 300 crores (75 M$) in this site going forward.

Willow.tv had added a feather in its cap when it had acquired the US rights for the streaming of IPL matches which happened in april and may this year. IPL being the huge success it was gave both tremendous traction and I am assuming revenues as well as Willow.tv is a paid subscription site.

Reliance Entertainment as a group owns multiple platforms on the web now with Bigadda (Social Networking), Bigflix (DVD rentals and movie downloads) and Zapak Digital (Online gaming). It also is working on BigMaps (Mapping company). It also has other media in BigFm which had has launched online podcasts as well.

Willow.tv will be quite an asset for the Reliance Entertainment as cricket is the most favoured form of entertainment in India and people especially NRI’s would be a paying audience for this game on the online front. What will also be interesting is if Reliance rebrands the site into BIG Cricket? Or continues with Willow.tv. Also how it integrates this with its other properties.

Reliance Entertainment President Mr. Rajesh Sawhney has himself hinted to a possibility of multiple integration of content and services. Commenting on this acquisition he said, “The acquisition of Willow TV is in line with our strategy to strengthen our presence in the global markets and reinforce our Group’s presence in new media. Not only, there is considerable scope to expand the size, scale and scope of Willow TV portal, we are also looking at launching a Video-Box Service which will seamlessly integrate cricket, movie and television content on the Television Screen which would give our audience great choice and enhanced viewing experience. There is a considerable synergy between Cricket from Willow TV, Movies from Bigflix.com, and telecom services from Reliance Communications which will be now ignited”

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