ITV

Tag: English Premier League

  • JioStar bags Premier League broadcasting rights for next three year cycle

    JioStar bags Premier League broadcasting rights for next three year cycle

    MUMBAI: Premier League (EPL) fans in India can clink their beer mugs with glee. Especially if they are going to be watching the matches between their favourite clubs in a bar. JioStar has secured the media rights for the next three seasons beginning with the 2025-2026  one,  in a deal valued at $65 million, if a report in The Economic Times is to be believed. In all probability, the rights cover both live broadcasting on  television and  on streaming.

    The  audiovisual rights for the previous cycle (2022-2025) were with  Disney Star India’s Star Sports. However, with Disney Star India merging with Reliance Industries’ owned Viacom18 and Bodhi Tree Systems and being renamed as JioStar, it was the latter which put in the bid and acquired the rights.

    JioStar also has the rights to the  Indian Super League  – India’s premier soccer tournament – which came its way in the wake of the merger.

    “With this, the conglomerate will be driving the future of football in India,” says a sports media consultant.  “They are going to be putting a lot of marketing and promotional muscle behind the Premier League because if you look at the new deal with it, Uday Shankar and team Sanjog Gupta have apportioned $11 million for marketing EPL events in India during the cycle and $54 million for the audiovisual rights, according to the ET report.”

    However, how the live telecasts will be divided between Sports18 and Star Sports and Hotstar and JioCinema was not clear at the time of writing. Keep watching this space until some clarity comes in. 

    Manchester City had lifted the Premier League title in May 2024 with Arsenal emerging as the runner-up. 

    (Picture courtesy Premier League website)

  • VEQTA brings Manchester City Football Club action to India

    VEQTA brings Manchester City Football Club action to India

    New Delhi: Manchester City Football Club, one of the oldest and most successful football clubs in the English Premier League (EPL), will be seen in action on VEQTA, India’s only digital broadcast network (OTT) dedicated to sports.

    The partnership, which is claimed to be the first of its kind for a Premier League club, will enable football fans in India to enjoy access to an all-new, never before seen content experience.

    VEQTA recently launched its OTT platform through flagship Apps.

    Fans will now be able to experience the full suite of Manchester City Football Club content on the VEQTA platform, including exclusive training sessions, CityTV’s renowned ‘Inside City’ series, episodes of the ever popular ‘Global City Fans’ and behind the scenes interviews and activities with the players and manager.

    The unique alliance will help the Club engage with millions of Manchester City and sports fans in one of the world’s fastest growing football markets, whilst allowing VEQTA to offer a truly global content experience and become the preferred destination for football fans in India.

    VEQTA co-founder & director Vikram Tanwar said, “Football is the second largest and the fastest growing sport in India. We are very excited about partnering with an institution with the kind of history, legacy and success that Manchester City has. Through this partnership, football fans in India will have a truly global sports experience for the very first time. VEQTA is proud to be enabling this experience through its flagship platforms and is another step towards our commitment of offering the best sports content from across the globe.”

    Manchester City Chief Operations Officer Omar Berrada said, “Manchester City’s fan base in India is growing rapidly and it is important for us to connect with all of our supporters across the globe. By partnering with VEQTA, who share our passion for sport and our commitment to digital innovation, we have a unique opportunity to engage fans in the region and to provide them with meaningful content that can bring them closer to the club than ever before.

  • VEQTA brings Manchester City Football Club action to India

    VEQTA brings Manchester City Football Club action to India

    New Delhi: Manchester City Football Club, one of the oldest and most successful football clubs in the English Premier League (EPL), will be seen in action on VEQTA, India’s only digital broadcast network (OTT) dedicated to sports.

    The partnership, which is claimed to be the first of its kind for a Premier League club, will enable football fans in India to enjoy access to an all-new, never before seen content experience.

    VEQTA recently launched its OTT platform through flagship Apps.

    Fans will now be able to experience the full suite of Manchester City Football Club content on the VEQTA platform, including exclusive training sessions, CityTV’s renowned ‘Inside City’ series, episodes of the ever popular ‘Global City Fans’ and behind the scenes interviews and activities with the players and manager.

    The unique alliance will help the Club engage with millions of Manchester City and sports fans in one of the world’s fastest growing football markets, whilst allowing VEQTA to offer a truly global content experience and become the preferred destination for football fans in India.

    VEQTA co-founder & director Vikram Tanwar said, “Football is the second largest and the fastest growing sport in India. We are very excited about partnering with an institution with the kind of history, legacy and success that Manchester City has. Through this partnership, football fans in India will have a truly global sports experience for the very first time. VEQTA is proud to be enabling this experience through its flagship platforms and is another step towards our commitment of offering the best sports content from across the globe.”

    Manchester City Chief Operations Officer Omar Berrada said, “Manchester City’s fan base in India is growing rapidly and it is important for us to connect with all of our supporters across the globe. By partnering with VEQTA, who share our passion for sport and our commitment to digital innovation, we have a unique opportunity to engage fans in the region and to provide them with meaningful content that can bring them closer to the club than ever before.

  • Arsenal play West Ham, Bayern travel to Stuggart: Which channel what time can India tune in

    Arsenal play West Ham, Bayern travel to Stuggart: Which channel what time can India tune in

    MUMBAI: The football league season is soon approaching its conclusion. While in few of the leagues the picture is quite clear in some it’s still wide open. One slip can swap positions, and one win can take a step closer to the trophy. 

    English Premier League is one of the most open leagues at this stage. Underdogs Leicester City is currently sitting at the helm of points table 7 points clear of second slotted Tottenham Hotspurs and 11 points clear of third placed Arsenal who has a match in hand. All three are possible title contenders and each match day is a final frontier for them.
    Saturday action will begin with Arsenal travelling to West Ham for revenge. The gunners started their league season with a shocking defeat against West Ham and today that defeat will be there in their minds. Moreover Wenger’s man cannot afford to drop a point at this stage if they want to keep their title run alive. Indian football lovers can catch the match live on Star Sports 2 and Star Sports HD2 from 5:15 PM onward. 
     
    The match will be live streamed on Hotstar and StarSports.com. Recently while delivering a keynote Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “EPL was more streamed than viewed on television.”
     
    Chelsea will host Swansea City, Star Sports 2 and HD 2 will telecast the match live from 7:30 PM onward. Placed 4 and just a point ahead of Manchester United, Manchester City will host West Brom to continue their winning streak.The match kicks off at 10:00 PM and will be available live and exclusive on Star Sports 2 and HD 2.
     
    Bundesliga too is open for a change, as Bayern Munchen is just five points ahead of second placed arched rivals Dortmund. Munchen play against Stuggart today and the match will be telecast live by Star Sports 4 and HD 4 from 7:00 PM onward.
     
    After their mid-week’s champions league defeat, today Real Madrid will host Eibar in La-Liga. Zidane’s Madrid defeated Barcelona to win the Elclasico battle last week. Indian football lovers will have to miss the action as Sony Pictures Networks as per the schedule available online is not broadcasting the match live. 7:30 PM onward all the sports channels of SPN will telecast Indian Premier League matches live. 
     
     
  • Arsenal play West Ham, Bayern travel to Stuggart: Which channel what time can India tune in

    Arsenal play West Ham, Bayern travel to Stuggart: Which channel what time can India tune in

    MUMBAI: The football league season is soon approaching its conclusion. While in few of the leagues the picture is quite clear in some it’s still wide open. One slip can swap positions, and one win can take a step closer to the trophy. 

    English Premier League is one of the most open leagues at this stage. Underdogs Leicester City is currently sitting at the helm of points table 7 points clear of second slotted Tottenham Hotspurs and 11 points clear of third placed Arsenal who has a match in hand. All three are possible title contenders and each match day is a final frontier for them.
    Saturday action will begin with Arsenal travelling to West Ham for revenge. The gunners started their league season with a shocking defeat against West Ham and today that defeat will be there in their minds. Moreover Wenger’s man cannot afford to drop a point at this stage if they want to keep their title run alive. Indian football lovers can catch the match live on Star Sports 2 and Star Sports HD2 from 5:15 PM onward. 
     
    The match will be live streamed on Hotstar and StarSports.com. Recently while delivering a keynote Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “EPL was more streamed than viewed on television.”
     
    Chelsea will host Swansea City, Star Sports 2 and HD 2 will telecast the match live from 7:30 PM onward. Placed 4 and just a point ahead of Manchester United, Manchester City will host West Brom to continue their winning streak.The match kicks off at 10:00 PM and will be available live and exclusive on Star Sports 2 and HD 2.
     
    Bundesliga too is open for a change, as Bayern Munchen is just five points ahead of second placed arched rivals Dortmund. Munchen play against Stuggart today and the match will be telecast live by Star Sports 4 and HD 4 from 7:00 PM onward.
     
    After their mid-week’s champions league defeat, today Real Madrid will host Eibar in La-Liga. Zidane’s Madrid defeated Barcelona to win the Elclasico battle last week. Indian football lovers will have to miss the action as Sony Pictures Networks as per the schedule available online is not broadcasting the match live. 7:30 PM onward all the sports channels of SPN will telecast Indian Premier League matches live. 
     
     
  • Star India renews English Premier League telecast rights till 2019

    Star India renews English Premier League telecast rights till 2019

    MUMBAI: Star India has renewed its exclusive broadcast rights for the English Premier League for the next three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19.

    With this renewal, Star India will continue to broadcast Premier League matches on a live or delayed basis across India on the Star Sports channels, as well as stream all matches on its digital platforms, Hotstar and starsports.com.

    Star India will broadcast more than 200 Premier League games live across its Star Sports TV network, and all the 380 games live on its digital platforms.

    Star India COO Sanjay Gupta said, “Our partnership with the Premier League is in line with our strategy of promoting and building football as a priority sport in the country. England’s Premier League is the most successful and viewed football league in the world, with millions of fans in India. We have been broadcasting Premier League football for the last 15 years, and this renewal reaffirms our faith in the strength of the competition as the best international football property. With Premier League, Bundesliga and the Indian Super League, we continue to have a portfolio of the best of global and Indian football.”

    Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore added, “We are very pleased that Star India has again chosen to invest in our broadcasting rights. The popularity of Premier League football has increased significantly in India in recent seasons and the quality of Star’s production, and their promotion of our competition, is a major factor in that. We look forward to working with Star for at least the next three seasons to make all the best Premier League action available to our fans across the country.”

  • Star India renews English Premier League telecast rights till 2019

    Star India renews English Premier League telecast rights till 2019

    MUMBAI: Star India has renewed its exclusive broadcast rights for the English Premier League for the next three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19.

    With this renewal, Star India will continue to broadcast Premier League matches on a live or delayed basis across India on the Star Sports channels, as well as stream all matches on its digital platforms, Hotstar and starsports.com.

    Star India will broadcast more than 200 Premier League games live across its Star Sports TV network, and all the 380 games live on its digital platforms.

    Star India COO Sanjay Gupta said, “Our partnership with the Premier League is in line with our strategy of promoting and building football as a priority sport in the country. England’s Premier League is the most successful and viewed football league in the world, with millions of fans in India. We have been broadcasting Premier League football for the last 15 years, and this renewal reaffirms our faith in the strength of the competition as the best international football property. With Premier League, Bundesliga and the Indian Super League, we continue to have a portfolio of the best of global and Indian football.”

    Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore added, “We are very pleased that Star India has again chosen to invest in our broadcasting rights. The popularity of Premier League football has increased significantly in India in recent seasons and the quality of Star’s production, and their promotion of our competition, is a major factor in that. We look forward to working with Star for at least the next three seasons to make all the best Premier League action available to our fans across the country.”

  • Onefootball bags English Premier League digital streaming rights for India

    Onefootball bags English Premier League digital streaming rights for India

    MUMBAI: Football app Onefootball has bagged the digital streaming rights package within India for the English Premier League (EPL) covering the next three seasons – 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

     

    Additionally, sports radio station talkSPORT, which is the global audio partner of the Premier League, has also reached agreement with radio broadcasters and streaming companies in Ghana, Nigeria and Australia to carry talkSPORT’s live English Premier League audio commentary throughout the three football seasons.

     

    Citi FM in Ghana and Nigeria’s Nigeria Info are long-standing partners of talkSPORT who have each been awarded rights packages for a further three seasons.

     

    Eon Sports Radio is a new sports radio network, which plans to launch nationally in Australia in 2016 with a entertaining blend of original and licensed sports programming. As well as EPL audio rights, talkSPORT has also agreed to share other programming content with Eon Sports Radio, to include sports talk, interviews and features from talkSPORT’s award-winning UK output.

     

    As global audio partner of the Premier League, talkSPORT controls an exclusive package of international audio rights  until 2019, allowing the station to broadcast official live commentary of all 380 Barclays Premier League matches in any language to listeners around the world outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland.

     

    talkSPORT’s international tender process for the 2016-17 – 2018-19 seasons is continuing, with further licensing rounds scheduled in various key territories during December.

     

    talkSPORT director of international Jimmy Buckland said, “Today’s announcement is great news for football fans in India, Ghana, Nigeria and Australia. We’re delighted to be extending our relationships with some long-standing partners whilst welcoming a new partner in Australia. Eon Sports Radio has an ambitious plan to create Australia’s first new national sports radio network and talkSPORT looks forward to playing its part in the network’s upcoming launch.”

     

    UTV Media COO Scott Taunton added, “talkSPORT International has grown rapidly over the last three years, establishing a strong network of international broadcast and streaming partners. As global audio partner of the Premier League until 2019, talkSPORT is uniquely positioned to enable brands, broadcasters and streaming platforms tap into international audiences’ ever growing interest in the world’s most exciting football league.”

     

    talkSPORT is an official broadcaster of the Barclays Premier League, the 2016 UEFA European Football Championships, the FA Cup, England football internationals and the Capital One Cup.

  • Indian Super League signs partnership with English Premier League

    Indian Super League signs partnership with English Premier League

    MUMBAI: The Indian Super League (ISL) has entered into a strategic partnership with the English Premier League (EPL) – the world’s most popular and successful football league, to bring its best practices to India under the exchange programme.

     

    The Co-operation Agreement between the Indian Super League, co-promoted by IMG-Reliance, the joint venture between IMG and Reliance Industries, Star India with support from All India Football Federation (AIFF) – and the English Premier League will allow ISL to leverage the league’s expertise in nurturing and growing a high quality football competition.

     

    The recently appointed Board of Director at RIL Nita M. Ambani said, “Partnering with Premier League brings credence to Indian Super League and to our vision of popularising the sport in India. I am confident that the tie-up will immensely help in nurturing and establishing Indian Super League with good governance and best practices. The alliance also presents a great opportunity of partnership and cross promotions between the ISL League Partners and Premier League Clubs.” 

     

    England’s Premier League is the most watched continuous annual global sporting event in the world. Last season, 13.9 million fans attended matches with record average stadium occupancy of 95.9 per cent. Across nine months, 380 matches are viewed in 175 countries with coverage available in more than 650 million homes.

     

    Star India CEO Uday Shankar added, “The partnership puts belief in Stars Sports philosophy of `Believe’. From a game that hobbled about on the fringes of Indian sports, there’s promise that this partnership will lift and reinvigorate football. Star strongly believes in creating local heroes, inspiring Indians to believe greatness is possible through sport and together we can create a world where sports comes first. The partnership with PL is going to help us achieve just that. Through this tie-up Star India will cross promote coverage of the Indian Super League and the Premier League to the growing base of Indian football followers.”
     

    The Indian Super League, set to kick off in September 2014, will receive strategic support, advice and assistance from the Premier League to further the development of the league and its clubs. The EPL will also assist in establishing club governance, shaping the brand, fan engagement, defining anti-corruption and anti-doping policies for the ISL, as well as joint promotion of the ISL and Premier League football in India.

     

    EPL chief executive officer Richard Scudamore said, “Having earlier this year signed a mutual co-operation agreement with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), we are very pleased to also enter into this partnership with the ISL. This will see both organisations work together and share knowledge in several key areas including player development, refereeing, marketing and promotion.”

     

    He added, “We know from our broadcast partner Star India, and our work with the AIFF on our long-established grassroots football project Premier Skills that we run in several locations across India, that the popularity of football, and the Premier League, is growing. There is a further opportunity to develop the sport as a result of that increased interest and we hope to continue to make a real contribution to all levels of Indian football.”
     

    The co-operation between the Indian Super League and the Premier League lends credence to the Indian Super League’s mission to engage the 200 million-plus Indian football fan base by showcasing a quality football offering with international standards of governance and an unparalleled viewing experience.

     

    ISL is an unrivalled football championship, aiming to foster local talent and feature international stars, making the game one of the country’s flagship sports and India, a name to reckon within the global arena. ISL will feature eight franchises from Bangalore, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.
    India is the Premier League’s number one market in terms of social media engagement, with an average reach of 1.48m Indian fans every week.

     

    IMG, Global Football Development senior vice president Jeff Slack informed, “Pairing the Premier League, an established best-in-class football organisation, with the Indian Super League is a dream arrangement for football fans in India.  The ability to leverage the Premier League’s experience in creating a successful league model for both players and fans will be a tremendous value to the Indian Super League as it continues to grow the sport in India.”
     

    Through the alliance, Indian Super League will help Premier League and its clubs in staging football matches and assist in other business development initiatives in India. This will encourage exchange programmes and partnership building between clubs of the two leagues. Indian Super League and the Premier League will also cross-promote football coverage on Star India’s platform to the growing Indian fan base.

     

    “The AIFF is extremely pleased to be a part of the strategic partnership between the English Premier League and the Indian Super League. This is an outstanding opportunity for the Indian Super League to build from the very best in the business when it comes to running a highly successful league. The EPL is revered around the world and by learning from the practitioners who have made it so successful; the Indian Super League will develop and grow in the right way, ensuring benefits not only for the league itself but also for the wider Indian football ecosystem in the longer term,” concluded AIFF president Praful Patel.

  • SingTel appeal over EPL cross-carriage rejected

    SingTel appeal over EPL cross-carriage rejected

    MUMBAI: Singaporean IPTV operator mioTV will have to share its English Premier League coverage with rival platform StarHub after losing an appeal seeking an exemption to the country’s cross-carriage rules for pay-TV content.

     

    In April, the Media Development Authority (MDA) ruled that SingTel-owned mioTV’s non-exclusive deal for EPL live matches for three seasons beginning this August triggers the “Cross-Carriage Measure,” which took effect in August 2011.

     

    Under the cross-carriage ruling, pay-TV platforms that acquired any exclusive content on or after 12 March, 2010, must make that programming available through the set-top boxes of other platforms. SingTel subsequently lodged an appeal against the MDA decision with the Minister of Communications and Information.

     

    “The minister’s decision to reject SingNet’s appeal was made based on the assessment of a number of factors,” a statement from the ministry said. “A key consideration was whether certain clauses in the agreement between SingNet and the Football Association Premier League prevent or restrict or are likely to prevent or restrict the EPL content from being acquired or otherwise obtained for transmission on selected network platforms in Singapore by other pay-TV operators.”

     

    “The minister considered the qualitative and quantitative effects of these clauses. The minister also noted that the key objectives of the cross-carriage measure include addressing the high degree of content fragmentation and encouraging pay-TV operators to shift from a content-centric strategy to other forms of competition, such as service and content innovation. Pay-TV operators should keep this in mind and continue to provide better value to the consumers. The minister has also suggested that MDA consider providing further guidance on the circumstances that may trigger the cross-carriage measure so that pay-TV operators can provide more certainty to consumers.”

     

    Customers on both platforms will be able to purchase an EPL stand-alone subscription, granting access to some nine channels, for S$59.90 ($47) a month.