Leading Asian Sports broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has signed its biggest ever distribution agreement in China which will result in the English Premier League being broadcast live to over 100 million football fans across the country from this weekend.
ESS has concluded distribution deals with over 20 regional TV stations as well as national channels CCTV 5 and Hunan Satellite which for the first time will allow Chinese viewers to see up to 165 live matches from August through May 2003.
National sports channel CCTV-5 will pick up the STAR Sports Saturday night match , while Hunan Satellite TV will bring live coverage of ESPN’s second Sunday match and STAR Sports’ Monday night match to a national audience of over 100 million cable households. This is the first time the EPL will be broadcast live nationwide in China.
With this distribution, Asia’s leading sports broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports, has more than doubled its previous distribution in China.
Making this announcement, ESS Managing Director Rik Dovey said: ‘This record distribution of the English League in China confirms the League as the number one right across the world. Viewers demand to see the game, at ESPN STAR Sports with our existing and new distribution partners across China deliver it.
He added, ‘China’s growing strength within the sport is well illustrated by the players from China who have joined the EPL like Sun Jihai for Manchester City, Li Tie & Li Weifeng for Everton and Qu Bo for Tottenham Hotspur. And in the wake of the World Cup, viewer interest has also grown for the other main leagues, which we also show, namely the Spanish Primera Liga, and the UEFA Champion’s League which will also have wider distribution across China this season.’
ESS has been providing Chinese broadcasters and audiences with the world’s top sports programming since 1992, customized to local audiences and presented in five different languages including Mandarin. The ESPN service is one of only three foreign channels approved to supply programming to Chinese broadcast partners direct 24 hours a day, STAR Sports is available through all hotels.
The season opener on ESPN will see newly promoted Manchester City visiting Leeds United (LIVE at 21:55, August 17). On STAR Sports, it will be Asians’ favourite club Manchester United playing host to West Bromwich Albion LIVE at 21:55, August 17 (Singapore/Hong Kong time zone).
Besides match coverage, ESPN STAR Sports will also air daily EPL coverage in prime time as well as daily news on SportsCenter, Asia’s top daily sports news service.
For further information please contact:
Edward Yip
ESPN STAR Sports
T: (852) 2621 9642
E: yipe@espnstar.com