Gaffer’s Banter

Where is EPL in China?

WinTV pays US$50 Million (RMB120M per year) for 3-year China TV Rights for English Premiership (2007/2008 Premier League TV Revenue).

RMB 1,880/year  to RMB580 /year (£39; $8)

WinTV Current Subscribers: 30,000

FREE Broadcast era (pre 2007/08 season)…..30 Million Premiership fans in China

China Free TV Sports Chanel (CCTV-5) experimented with live broadcast of Champions League this November.  It will continue such broadcast starting in 2009 for the next 3 years.

Now everyone in China flocks to the internet for live-premiership games. Yes, not the bar…instead they go p2p sites for all the games.  Best yet, EPL（English Premier League) pockets the money and you see no promotion of the league or clubs in China.  Chelsea came just last summer, pockets the money, made some noise and left.  The sponsor had to give away lots of tickets for free.  And no sign of Liverpool, ManU, and Arsenal. ManU’s shop in Macau is not doing well, Arsenal’s magazine is unmentioned these days, and Liverpool didn’t even get their new kit into Adidas (in China) stores before the season started.

Unlike the EPL, NBA is in full swing in China…apart from dealing more sponsorships, bringing full-house exhibition games, grass root developments, and  major TV rights deals, co-promotion with big sponsors, they are even going to help build new basketball arenas.  Whether you like the American consumerism/imperialism or not, this has to be THE WAY you market a product.