Rapid TV News

Speculation puts ESPN, Ten Action, Sony Max in frame for Premier League Soccer

Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 07-02-2012

The three broadcasters in rights negotiations with the promoters of India's new Premier League Soccer (PLS) are rumoured to be ESPN, Taj TV and Sony Max.

An unconfirmed report from the Indian Football Network suggests global sports broadcaster ESPN is up against Max - which exclusively broadcasts the annual Indian Premier League (IPL) twenty20 cricket tournament; and Taj TV's dedicated football channel Ten Action – which currently holds the South Asian rights to show UEFA Champions League, Europa League and I-League matches.

Bhaswar Goswami, executive director of the new football league's organisers Celebrity Management Group (CMG), has recently confirmed it is in talks with three broadcasters.

"We are still evaluating what kind of deal we want to have. We are looking at a broadcaster who would help us in promoting the league. We want the matches to be shown live," Goswami told Indiantelevision last week.

He added there are no plans currently to enlist a local broadcast partner in West Bengal where the PLS is based; CMG is instead looking to sell a South Asian package. "I want my league to be a pan-Indian product," he said.

CMG has also sealed a global contract which spans broadcast rights in 50 countries with London-based sports rights management company MP & Silva.

Premier League Soccer's inaugural season will see 34 games played between March and April 2012 in the cities of Kolkata, Siliguri, Haldia, Durgapur, Howrah, and Barasat.