Disney Not Amused As Pirate Streaming App Becomes Afghanistan Cricket Team's Official Sponsor

PikaShow has always irked leading platforms like Walt Disney Co.'s DIS Disney Star — and the situation seems to have escalated after it sponsored the Afghanistan cricket team during Asia Cup 2022. 

What Happened: Android-based pirate streaming app, PikaShow, which enables users to stream live TV channels in high-definition quality and download the latest entertainment content for offline viewing, has ruffled the feathers of high-end streaming giants, reported Torrent Freak. 

See Also: Barron's Top Weekend Stock Picks: Amazon, Tesla, Disney And Why Big Tech May Be In For A Major Comeback

Disney Star, the Indian subsidiary of Walt Disney and Motion Picture Association, or MPA, filed complaints against the app on separate occasions last year. 

However, the pirate streaming app didn't heed the complaint and became the official sponsor of the Afghan national cricket team during Asia Cup 2022. In fact, PikaShow advertised itself via legal TV broadcasts, the report noted.

To Disney's dismay, this allowed PikaShow to advertise on Hotstar's official TV broadcasts of the tournament.  

Following this bizarre turn of events, MPA reported the pirate streaming app to the U.S. Trade Representative. Disney Star filed a criminal complaint with police in India, followed by another copyright complaint at the Delhi High Court in the country's capital.

On Saturday, police in Indian city of Bengaluru arrested a college student for allegedly streaming Disney+ Hotstar content via PikaShow and monetizing it via advertising. 

At the time of writing, Indian users who already had the app installed on their phones could access some of the latest content available originally on Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix and Amazon's Prime Video. 

Read Next: Why Disney, Boeing And CVS Are This Investor's Top Stocks For 2023