Uday Shankar, Vice-Chairperson of JioStar and a journalist-turned-entrepreneur, has warned that cricket boards are increasingly “pricing themselves out” of India, arguing — in an interview published in entertainment news outlet Variety — that spiralling sports rights valuations are becoming difficult to sustain even for large broadcasters.

According to the Variety report published yesterday, Shankar said the industry’s long-running fear of missing out on marquee cricket properties was beginning to fade as media companies reassess commercial realities.

Shankar said sports bodies had long benefited from broadcasters’ willingness to overpay for premium cricket rights, but suggested that equation was changing. (https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/ipl-uday-shankar-jiostar-cricket-rights-india-media-1236758190/#recipient_hashed=316b470051f34361281b4a0177d04f4d6d15dd7dbaa1786df54683bb738bec1d&recipient_salt=d07f02cb99b6078fe37148ce662887c65c867761cbcfc0c0552a168b84337069&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exacttarget&utm_campaign=intlnewsalert&utm_content=684466_05-25-2026&utm_term=23400349?utm_medium=&utm_source=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_id=)

He indicated that JioStar no longer felt compelled to aggressively pursue every available rights package, stressing that the company’s broader entertainment portfolio gave it greater strategic flexibility.

According to Shankar, companies are now focusing more sharply on long-term monetisation and profitability rather than simply accumulating sports properties at any cost.

The JioStar executive also pointed to mounting pressure on the economics of sports broadcasting, particularly as advertising markets become more volatile and audience behaviour fragments across platforms. While cricket remains India’s dominant entertainment and advertising driver, Shankar suggested that rights costs had risen faster than the industry’s ability to effectively monetise them, creating strain even for major players.

Beyond sports, Shankar raised concerns about the creative health of the Hindi film industry, arguing that Bollywood was facing a deeper storytelling and talent challenge. He suggested the industry had become overly dependent on formulaic filmmaking at a time when audiences were becoming increasingly discerning and exposed to global content choices across streaming and television.

Despite the pressures facing both sports and entertainment, Shankar remained optimistic about the long-term trajectory of India’s media business. (Uday Shankar’s image is a file photo and for representational purpose only)