Star+

{{Short description|Defunct streaming service in Iberian America}}

{{About|the streaming service in Ibero-America|the Disney+ content hub|Star (Disney+)|the Hindi-language TV channel|StarPlus}}

{{Infobox website

| name = Star+

| logo = Star+ logo.svg

| logo_size = 260px

| logo_caption = Logo for the Star+ service.

| website_type = OTT video streaming platform

| language = {{Collapsible list

| Spanish (Latin American)

| Portuguese (Brazilian)

}}

| area_served = Ibero-America (except Cuba, see full list of countries)

| parent = Disney Streaming

| url = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.starplus.com/ |date=* |title=Archived official website}}

| registration = Required

| launch_date = {{launch date and age|2021|8|31}}

| dissolved = {{end date and age|2024|6|26}} (merged with Disney+)
{{end date and age|2024|7|24}} (separated app)

| current_status = Defunct

}}

Star+ (Star Plus; stylized as ST★R+) was a short-lived subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service available in almost all Ibero-American states. The service was owned by The Walt Disney Company through the Disney Entertainment division and business segment.{{cite web |date=December 11, 2020 |title=Cómo será el nuevo servicio de streaming de Disney que llega a Latinoamérica |url=https://www.t13.cl/noticia/tendencias/como-sera-nuevo-servicio-streaming-disney-llega-latinoamerica |website=T13 |language=Spanish}}

The service featured 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 a large amount of third party content from Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal and Paramount Global and live sports from ESPN.{{Cite web |title=ACERCA DE STAR + |url=https://www.disneylapresspack.com/star-plus}}

Star+ content was merged into Disney+ on June 26, 2024{{cite web |date=2024-03-28 |title=Star+ To Merge Into Disney+ In Latin America In June |url=https://whatsondisneyplus.com/star-to-merge-into-disney-in-latin-america-in-june/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |language=en-us}} and the separate streaming platform was discontinued on July 24 of the same year.

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 1990, and was acquired by News Corporation in 1993.{{cite web |last=Tam |first=Luisa |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/38310/news-buys-star-tv |title=News buys Star TV |work=South China Morning Post |date=July 27, 1993 |access-date=December 13, 2020 |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412160448/https://www.scmp.com/article/38310/news-buys-star-tv |url-status=live}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Chu |first1=Karen |title=News Corp. confirms STAR TV breakup |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/news-corp-confirms-star-tv-87782 |access-date=December 13, 2020 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=August 18, 2009 |archive-date=January 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111232439/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/news-corp-confirms-star-tv-87782 |url-status=live }} Star India (as well as all of the now Fox Networks Group's Asia Pacific operations{{efn|Although, the Asia Pacific operations do operate "Star"-branded TV services to date, to varying degrees. Not to be confused with the Japanese premium TV network of the same name, which albeit then a co-owned venture with three Japanese partners, is now a wholly separate business as the former 21st Century Fox sold its stake before the Disney acquisition completed.}}) 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.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}} 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.{{cite web |title=Disney + to raise its subscription fees, announces 'Star' international streaming service |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/disney__to_raise_its_subscription_fees_announces_star_international_streaming_service-news-46712.php |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=GSMArena.com |language=en-US |archive-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212021739/https://www.gsmarena.com/disney__to_raise_its_subscription_fees_announces_star_international_streaming_service-news-46712.php |url-status=live}} 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.{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=August 4, 2020 |title=Disney is launching a new Star-branded streaming service internationally |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/4/21354712/disney-star-streaming-service-international-expansion-hulu-plus-abc-fx-fox |access-date=December 14, 2020 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805125023/https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/4/21354712/disney-star-streaming-service-international-expansion-hulu-plus-abc-fx-fox |url-status=live}}

= 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.{{cite web |last=Palmer |first=Roger |date=April 29, 2021 |title=StarzPlay Disputes Disney Using Star Brand In Latin America |url=https://whatsondisneyplus.com/starzplay-disputes-disney-using-star-brand-in-latin-america/ |access-date=May 1, 2021 |website=What's On Disney Plus |language=en-US |archive-date=May 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514004953/https://whatsondisneyplus.com/starzplay-disputes-disney-using-star-brand-in-latin-america/ |url-status=dead}} The Wrap reported that Disney had five days to respond to the Brazil lawsuit.{{cite web |last=Baysinger |first=Time |date=June 9, 2021 |title=Starz Slaps Disney With Trademark Suits in 3 Latin American Countries Over Star+ Streaming Service |url=https://www.thewrap.com/starz-disney-copyright-suit-star-streaming-service-name-latin-america/ |website=The Wrap |language=en-US}} 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.{{cite web |last=Palmer |first=Roger |date=May 13, 2021 |title=STAR+ WILL ARRIVE IN LATIN AMERICA ON AUGUST 31ST |url=https://whatsondisneyplus.com/star-will-arrive-in-latin-america-on-august-31st/ |website=What's On Disney Plus |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Aliaga |first=Victor |date=June 26, 2021 |title=Star+: Conheça o novo serviço de streaming que chega ao Brasil |trans-title=Star+: Discover the new streaming service coming to Brazil |url=https://br.ign.com/star-plus/91215/feature/star-series-exclusivas-servico-de-streaming |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801012709/https://br.ign.com/star-plus/89357/feature/star-plus-conheca-novo-servico-streaming-no-brasil |archive-date=August 1, 2021 |access-date=August 1, 2021 |website=IGN Brasil |language=pt-br}}

While Disney eventually won the dispute, in July, they would lose an appeal in court in Brazil to the name dispute with Lionsgate.{{cite web |date=July 25, 2021 |title=Starz consegue impedir Disney de usar marca Star Plus no Brasil; entenda o caso |url=https://www.tudocelular.com/mercado/noticias/n177454/starz-consegue-impedir-disney-de-usar-marca-star-plus-no-brasil-entenda-o-caso.html |access-date=July 25, 2021 |website=TudoCelular |language=pt}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/mercado/disney-faz-acordo-milionario-para-usar-o-nome-star-em-seu-novo-streaming-63014 |title=Disney faz acordo milionário para usar o nome Star+ em seu novo streaming |website=Notícias da TV |language=pt |date=August 9, 2021 |access-date=August 9, 2021}}{{cite web |date=July 25, 2021 |title=Disney and Starz Reach Settlement Over Star Plus Brand Name Use in Latin America |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/global/disney-starz-star-plus-latin-america-1235044605/ |access-date=August 19, 2021 |website=Variety}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-teams-with-starz-for-streaming-bundle-in-latin-america-1235170946/ |title=Disney Teams With Starz For Streaming Bundle in Latin America |first=Etan |last=Vlessing |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=June 23, 2022 |access-date=June 24, 2022}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/starz-lionsgateplus-us-canada-1235129244/ |title=Starz To Rebrand As Lionsgate+ Outside U.S. And Canada |first=Max |last=Goldbart |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 28, 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/lionsgate-to-focus-on-spinoff-of-studio-business-rebrands-starz-outside-of-u-s-1235228985/ |title=Lionsgate to Focus on Spinoff of Studio Business, Rebrands Starz Outside of U.S. |first=Etan |last=Vlessing |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 28, 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://alemdatela.com/starzplay-chega-ao-fim-e-muda-para-lionsgate/ |title=STARZPLAY chega ao fim e muda para LIONSGATE+ |language=pt |website=Além da Tela |date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 28, 2022}}

= Merger with Disney+ =

On December 12, 2023, The Walt Disney Company Latin America has planned to closing down Star+ platform while also to launch both the Star and ESPN hub onto Disney+ from June 26, 2024.{{cite web |url=https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/mercado/disney-anuncia-unificacao-com-star-e-cria-plano-com-anuncios-no-streaming-117415 |title=Disney+ anuncia unificação com Star+ e cria plano com anúncios no streaming |trans-title=Disney+ announces unification with Star+ and creates a plan with ads on the streaming |work=Notícias da TV |language=pt |date=March 28, 2023 |access-date=March 28, 2023}} The standalone Star+ app, originally planned to discontinued on June 30, 2024, was later got pushed to July 24 of that same year.{{cite web |url=https://alemdatela.com/fim-do-star-e-fusao-com-disney-acontecera-em-duas-etapas-entenda/ |title=Fim do Star+ e fusão com Disney+ acontecerá em duas etapas. Entenda. |trans-title=End of Star+ and merger with Disney+ begins in two steps. Know more |work=Além da Tela |date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=April 19, 2024 |language=pt}} The announcement was left unnoticed for current Star+ subscribers until they drop the short clip about it.{{cite web |title=Ver ¡Tenemos noticias importantes! {{!}} Star+ |url=https://www.starplus.com/es-419/event/details/hay-un-nuevo-disney/4QaygzzduvR6 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.starplus.com}}

Content

Star+ served the same purpose as the Star content hub that was integrated into the Disney+ service in several other countries on February 23, 2021.{{cite web |title=Disney will fuel international growth with Star brand and Star+ app |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/10/disney-will-fuel-international-growth-with-star-brand-and-star-app/ |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=TechCrunch |date=December 10, 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205202250/https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/10/disney-will-fuel-international-growth-with-star-brand-and-star-app/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |date=December 10, 2020 |title=R-Rated Features, MA TV Coming to Disney+ Overseas via Star Catalog |url=https://www.cbr.com/disney-plus-star-catalog-r-rated-tvma/ |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Newsdesk |first=Laughing Place Disney |date=December 11, 2020 |title=Disney Investor Day 2020 Recap: Hulu, FX, ESPN+, Star, Star+ |url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2020/12/11/disney-investor-day-2020-recap-hulu-fx-espn-plus-star-star-plus/ |access-date=December 12, 2020 |website=LaughingPlace.com |language=en-US}} The services hosted 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+ produced original, local content in almost all Ibero-American states to be exclusively released on the platform.{{cite web |url=https://todotvnews.com/en/star-lands-in-latin-america-with-66-original-productions/ |title=Star+ Lands in Latin America with 66 Original Productions |work=Todotvnews |date=June 26, 2021 |access-date=August 19, 2021}}

= Sports rights =

== American football ==

== Association football ==

Asia

{{flagdeco|Europe}} 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)
UEFA Euro (except Mexico)

{{flagdeco|Belgium}} Belgium

Belgian First Division A

{{flagdeco|England}} 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 (only South America)
FA Community Shield
FA Women's Community Shield

{{flagdeco|France}} France

{{flagdeco|Germany}} Germany

Bundesliga (only South America)
2. Bundesliga (only South America)
DFB-Pokal
DFL-Supercup (only South America)

{{flagdeco|Italy}} Italy

{{flagdeco|Netherlands}} Netherlands

Eredivisie

{{flagdeco|Portugal}} Portugal

{{flagdeco|Scotland}} Scotland

{{flagdeco|Spain}} 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)

{{flagdeco|Turkey}} Turkey

Süper Lig

South America

{{flagdeco|Argentina}} Argentina

Argentine Primera División (except Argentina)
Supercopa Argentina (except Argentina)

{{flagdeco|Brazil}} Brazil

Copa Nordeste (only Brazil)
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A{{cite web |url=http://vcfaz.tv/brasileirao-tera-transmissao-pela-espn-e-star-na-america-latina/ |title=Brasileirão terá transmissão pela ESPN e Star+ na América Latina |date=October 15, 2021 |website=VCFAZ |language=pt-br}} (except Brazil)
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (except Brazil)

{{flagdeco|Ecuador}} Ecuador

Ecuadorian Serie A

{{flagdeco|Peru}} Peru

Peruvian Primera División (except Peru)

{{flagdeco|Uruguay}} Uruguay

Uruguayan Primera División

North America

CONCACAF Champions Cup (except Mexico)
CONCACAF Central American Cup (except Mexico)
CONCACAF Caribbean Cup (except Mexico)
FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
CONCACAF Gold Cup

{{flagdeco|Mexico}} Mexico

Liga MX (only Atlético de San Luis matches)
Liga de Expansión
Liga MX Femenil (only Atlético de San Luis matches)

{{flagdeco|United States}} United States

== 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)
F1 Academy (except Brazil)

== Baseball ==

{{flagdeco|United States}} United States

{{flagdeco|Mexico}} Mexico

Mexican League

== Basketball ==

{{flagdeco|United States}} United States

{{flagdeco|Africa}} Africa

Basketball Africa League

{{flagdeco|Europe}} 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 ==

== Golf ==

== Hockey ==

== Polo ==

Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo
Campeonato Abierto de Hurlingham
Campeonato Abierto del Tortugas Country Club
U.S. Open Polo

== Rugby ==

== 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 ==

Availability

Star+ was 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, Roku, 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.{{cite web |title=Como baixar o Star+ no PS4 e PS5 |url=https://br.financas.yahoo.com/noticias/como-baixar-o-star-no-114000560.html |access-date=31 October 2021 |website=Yahoo! Finance |publisher=Yahoo! |language=Portuguese}}{{cite web |title=Star+: streaming da Disney anuncia preços e planos no Brasil|url=https://www.tecmundo.com.br/amp/minha-serie/223003-star-anuncia-precos-planos-brasil-confira.htm |access-date=31 October 2021 |website=Tech Mundo|date=August 13, 2021 |language=Portuguese}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" id="launch rollout" style="margin-right:1em"

|+ Launch rollout timeline

! scope="col" | Region

! scope="col" | Country/Territory

! scope="col" | Launch date

rowspan="8" | North America

| Costa Rica

| rowspan="30" scope="row" | {{dts|2021|8|31}}{{cite web |date=August 31, 2021 |title=¿En qué países está disponible Star+? |url=https://help.starplus.com/starplus_hc?id=starplus_article_content&sys_kb_id=ef270ee4db96b0d0dbc9c28d13961960#En |access-date=September 1, 2021 |website=Star Plus: Help}}{{cite web |date=November 29, 2023 |title=(Star+: )GEO Availability |url=https://help.starplus.com/geo-availability |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=Star Plus: Help}}

rowspan="10" | South America