At APOS 2025 in Bali, Prashant Khanna, Head of Sports Production Services & Technology at JioStar, participated in a fireside chat on the convergence of sport, media, and technology. He said the 18th season of the IPL showed how today’s fans are deeply engaged — not just over the 2.5-month tournament, but across each 4–5 hour match. Responding to this shift, JioStar is building interactive, fan-first formats such as multi-cam control, vertical video, motion-capture kids’ feeds, and real-time personalisation.
“We don’t just see ourselves as broadcasters or production partners,” said Khanna. “We’re an organization helping the nation create iconic memories through mega sporting events.”
A key focus of the session was JioStar’s transformation of the sports viewing experience. From sign-language feeds and descriptive commentary for underserved cohorts to vertical video formats, motion-capture-powered kids’ feeds, and multi-cam interactivity, Khanna emphasized how technology and empathy are reshaping fan engagement at scale.
“The modern fan doesn’t just want to consume – they want to co-create. Our role is to enable that,” he noted. “Think of it as millions of fans each producing their own version of the game.”
He spoke about Starlab, JioStar’s in-house innovation engine, which collaborates with start-ups, creators, and partners like AWS to develop a cloud-native production stack. This enables hyper-personalized delivery and supports the next generation of live content experiences.
Khanna also reiterated JioStar’s partnership with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, a government-backed initiative to train emerging talent across sport and live entertainment.
“It’s our responsibility as custodians of sport to invest not just in what fans see today, but in who creates it tomorrow,” he said.
Reflecting on the 18th season of the IPL, Khanna described it as a turning point in understanding audience behavior: “It’s been an eye-opener every single time, but this year, our biggest learning was how deeply involved the consumer is. They no longer want to passively consume what you’re serving them—they want to be part of shaping how the game unfolds over those 4–5 hours.”
“We saw this play out every day for 2.5 months, through a variety of formats and platforms. Whether it was widescreen or vertical video, Sunday cohort feeds, or kids’ IPs brought to life through motion capture, the engagement was constant. It reinforced that delivering the game in a way fans understand and love is no longer optional—it’s essential.”
