Free-to-air Premier league football for China
July 29, 2009
Chinese football fans will be able to watch English Premier League matches on free-to-air television this coming season.
Since 2007 exclusive TV rights were owned by the digital broadcaster Win TV, with matches only available on subscription – a limitation which hampered clubs building on their fan bases in the world’s most populous country. However, Guangdong TV, which broadcasts to most of the nation, has now paid £1.6 million (E1.85m) for the right to show one live game and a highlights package every week.
Asia accounts for more than 40 per cent of the League’s global audience with nearly one million fans tuning in.
…..