Star+

Star+ (stylized as ST★R+) is a subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service available in Latin America. The service is owned by The Walt Disney Company through the Disney Entertainment division and business segment.
The service features television and film content from the libraries of Disney subsidiaries, including Star Originals, 20th Television, 20th Television Animation, Searchlight Television, 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Animation (films only), ABC Signature, Freeform, FX Networks, Hollywood Pictures, Hotstar, Hulu, National Geographic, Searchlight Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and many more, as well as live sports from ESPN.
History
Pre-launch
The "Star" brand originated as a Hong Kong-based satellite broadcaster, which operated under that name as an acronym of "Satellite Television Asian Region", it was founded by Hutchison Whampoa in 1991, and had been acquired by News Corporation in 1993. After 2009, the Star brand was mainly restricted to the now separately owned Star China Media, as well as Star India, which operates primarily in India but also distributes Indian vernacular TV programming worldwide and the remaining Asia Pacific rebranded from Star to then Fox International Channels' regional unit. Star India (as well as all of the now Fox Networks Group's Asia Pacific operations) was then acquired by Walt Disney as part of its acquisition of 21st Century Fox on March 20, 2019.
During an earnings call on August 5, 2020, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced that Disney planned to launch a new international, general entertainment service under the "Star" brand name in 2021. The plan superseded a previously announced international expansion of the majority-controlled American streaming service, Hulu, which has only expanded outside the United States to Japan. Chapek argued that the Hulu brand is not well known outside of the US, while Star being a much more recognizable brand outside of the United States.
Dispute with Lionsgate
In April 2021, Disney faced a trademark dispute in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico with Lionsgate's Starz Entertainment over the use of the Star brand in Ibero-America. The Wrap reported that Disney had five days to respond to the Brazil lawsuit. As a result, on May 13, 2021, it would be announced that the launch of Star+ in Ibero-America would be delayed to August 31.
While Disney eventually won the dispute, in July, they would lose an appeal in court in Brazil to the name dispute with Lionsgate. In August 2021, Disney and Starz reached a settlement over the brand name issue allowing Star+ to launch in Ibero-America on August 31 as scheduled. The lawsuit was dropped after the deal was reached.
In June 2022, Disney and Lionsgate announced a streaming bundle offer in select Ibero-American countries, consisting of Disney+, Star+ and Lionsgate's Starzplay service.
On September 28, 2022, Lionsgate announced that its Starzplay service would rename to Lionsgate+ worldwide on the next day, including Ibero-America but excluding United States and Canada (where it is still known as Starz in those regions), as well as Cuba which completely ended the name conflict with Disney's Star+ service.
Content
Star+ serves the same purpose as the Star content hub that was integrated into the Disney+ service in several other countries on February 23, 2021. The services hosts a variety of content from Disney's studios, primarily general entertainment content carried on Disney+, as well as live sports from ESPN.
Original programming
In addition to acquired content, Star+ will produce original, local content in Latin America to be exclusively released on the platform.
Sports rights
American football
National Football League
College football
XFL
Association football
Africa
FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
CAF Champions League
Africa Cup of Nations
Asia
FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
AFC Champions League
AFC Cup
Europe
UEFA Champions League (except Mexico and Brazil)
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Europa Conference League
UEFA Super Cup (except Mexico and Brazil)
UEFA Nations League (except Mexico)
UEFA European Qualifiers (except Mexico)
Belgium
Belgian First Division A
England
Premier League (only South America)
EFL Championship
EFL League One
EFL League Two
FA Cup
FA Women's Cup
EFL Cup
FA Women's Super League
FA Community Shield
FA Women's Community Shield
France
Ligue 1
Trophée des Champions
Germany
Bundesliga (only South America)
2. Bundesliga (only South America)
DFB-Pokal
DFL-Supercup (only South America)
Greece
Super League
Italy
Serie A
Coppa Italia
Supercoppa Italiana
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Portugal
Taça de Portugal
Taça da Liga
Scotland
Scottish Premiership
Scottish Cup
Spain
La Liga (only South America)
Segunda División (only South America)
Copa del Rey (only Brazil)
Copa de la Reina (only Brazil)
Supercopa de España (only Brazil)
Supercopa de España Femenina (only Brazil)
Turkey
Süper Lig
South America
Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
Argentina
Argentine Primera División (except Argentina)
Supercopa Argentina (except Argentina)
Brazil
Copa Nordeste (only Brazil)
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (except Brazil)
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (except Brazil)
Ecuador
Ecuadorian Serie A
Peru
Peruvian Primera División (except Peru)
Uruguay
Uruguayan Primera División
North America
CONCACAF Champions League (except Mexico)
CONCACAF League (except Mexico)
FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
Mexico
Liga MX
United States
USL Championship
USL League One
Australian rules football
Australian Football League
Motorsports
Formula One (except Mexico and Brazil)
FIA Formula 2 Championship (except Mexico and Brazil)
FIA Formula 3 Championship (except Mexico and Brazil)
Porsche Supercup (except Mexico and Brazil)
Extreme E
Dakar Rally
IndyCar Series
Indy NXT
MotoGP
Superbike World Championship (except Brazil)
Supersport World Championship (except Brazil)
Supersport 300 World Championship (except Brazil)
W Series (except Brazil)
Baseball
United States
Major League Baseball
College baseball
Mexico
Mexican League
Basketball
United States
National Basketball Association
WNBA
NCAA basketball
NBA Summer League
NBA G League
The Basketball Tournament
Africa
Basketball Africa League
Europe
Liga ACB
Copa del Rey de Baloncesto
Euroleague (Mexico and Central America)
Boxing
ESPN Knockout (includes Top Rank, Premier Boxing Champions and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship)
Combat sport
Ultimate Fighting Championship (except Brazil and Mexico)
Pay-per-view
Fight Nights
Dana White's Contender Series
Bellator MMA (only Brazil)
Lux Fight League
Cycling
Tour de France
Vuelta a España
UCI Road World Championships (only South America)
Tour Down Under
Vuelta a San Juan
Tour Colombia
Paris–Nice
Critérium du Dauphiné
Tour de Romandie (only for South America)
Tour of Utah (only for South America)
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (only for South America)
Paris–Roubaix
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Amstel Gold Race
La Flèche Wallonne
Clásica de San Sebastián
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (only for South America)
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (only for South America)
Field Hockey
Men's FIH Hockey World Cup
Euro Hockey League
Metropolitano de Hockey (men)
Women's FIH Hockey World Cup
Women's Euro Hockey League
Metropolitano de Hockey (women)
Golf
The Masters
PGA Championship
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA Tour
Hockey
National Hockey League
Svenska Hockeyligan
Polo
Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo
Campeonato Abierto de Hurlingham
Campeonato Abierto del Tortugas Country Club
U.S. Open Polo
Rugby
The Rugby Championship
Rugby World Cup
Heineken Champions Cup
EPCR Challenge Cup
Súper Liga Americana de Rugby
Torneo de la URBA
Table Tennis
WTT Series
Tennis
Australian Open
French Open
The Championships, Wimbledon (except Brazil)
U.S. Open
ATP Finals
ATP Tour Masters 1000
ATP Cup
ATP Tour 500
ATP Tour 250
WTA Finals
WTA 1000
WTA 500
WTA 250
Next Generation ATP Finals
Laver Cup
Volleyball
CEV Champions League
Volleyball Nations League
Superlega
Device support and service features
Star+ is available for streaming via web browsers on PC and Mac, as well as apps on iOS and Apple TV, Android and Android TV, Fire TV and Fire HD, Chromecast, WebOS and Tizen OS devices among another digital media player and gaming consoles, such as PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC running Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Launch
Notes
References
External links
2021 in film
2021 in television
2021 introductions
Hulu
Internet properties established in 2021
Internet television streaming services
Subscription video on demand services
American companies established in 2021
The Walt Disney Company
Star+