How can I watch IPL in UK? What is Hotstar? What channel is Star Gold UK?

The Indian Premier League has a new home on UK TV in 2019. Here's all you need to know about tuning in to the competition...

So where can I watch the IPL in 2019?

Three places. BT Sport and Star Gold UK on your TVs or by creating an account with Hotstar, an online streaming platform.

How do I watch BT Sport

BT announced - the day before the tournament starts - that they will being show every IPL fixture. To watch via this method you will need to have a BT package.

How do I access Star Gold UK?

If you have a Sky basic TV bundle, you should be able to quickly and easily find the action. The station is also available via Virgin Media.

On Sky, Star Gold UK is on channel 729.

On Virgin Media, it's channel 801. 

And what about Hotstar?

Hotstar is an online streaming service from Star India. It demands a subscription fee for access but, unlike most broadcast subscription models in the UK, does not necessarily ask you to sign up for a 12-month contract.

A single month is £11.99, with 12 months available for £59.99. The platform is available on PC, tablet and mobile, and via an app. More information by clicking here.

Will they show all the games?

BT Sport have stated that they will being showing every game of IPL 2019.

The initial impression, judging by the Star Gold press release, is for that to be the case but the fixtures have yet to make it into the TV planner. The channel is, however, showing several preview shows ahead of the competition's start date, suggesting they are putting everything behind it.

Hotstar will certainly carry the lot.

What happened to Sky?

In March 2018, Sky Sports announced a multi-year deal to cover the IPL but this has since fallen through, reportedly as part of the recent acquisition of the British broadcaster by Comcast. 

Sky advised its customers that Star Sports had sought exclusive rights to the UK market, though negotiations had continued with potential homes for the tournament in 2019, including BT Sport.

When does the tournament begin?

All the action kicks off on Saturday, March 23. The full schedule for the group stage was released by the IPL organisers on Tuesday. Click here for that.