ESS prevails over Goal TV for $300m FA rights

SINGAPORE - ESPN Star Sports (ESS), in conjunction with M-League and IMG, will pay a remarkable US$300 million for the exclusive rights to broadcast FA Cup and England matches in Asia between 2008 and 2012.

The new range of deals represents an almost four-fold increase on the current US$80 million contract, and came after a final round of bidding against, it is believed, Goal TV (Media, 23 October).

While the majority of rights have been acquired by ESS, IMG has acquired rights for Japan and the Indian subcontinent, while M-League will handle Thailand.

“We have shared a fruitful relationship with The Football Association and this agreement is a testament to our proven commitment to building these properties for millions of football fans in Asia,” said ESS MD Manu Sawhney.