TrueVisions counts on continued hold on EPL
TrueVisions is confident that it can continue airing English Premier League soccer matches for three more seasons after pioneering the EPL broadcast in Thailand five years ago.
"We believe that TrueVisions is now well prepared for the coming seasons despite intensifying competition among both new and old rivals," Anat Mekpaiboon-vatana, the new managing director, said yesterday.
"We think our budget for acquiring such broadcasting rights is enough to ensure that the next three seasons will still be with us."
The country’s leading subscription-based television operator has also built a reputation among local sports lovers for its expertise in handling this kind of
world-class event, he said.
For example, international broadcasters such as ESPN joined in the previous bidding, but the company was eventually able to acquire the rights.
In this round, GMM Grammy, RS and Cable Thai Holding are all aiming to take the rights away from TrueVisions.
Chief commercial officer Ongard Prapakamol said earlier that last year the broadcaster saw a 10-per-cent surge in EPL sponsorship revenue to Bt176 million during the season from six major firms – Coca-Cola, L’Oreal Men Expert, Sony, TrueMove H, Yamaha and Chang.
For the EPL season screening in August, TrueVisions expects those companies to remain as sponsors, but it wants one or two more to boost revenue by 10 per cent.
The EPL will be one of the premium contents for Platinum and Gold subscription packages while Silver package customers are allowed to access some matches. More matches might be made available for Knowledge-package subscribers.
Offering 74 exclusive channels, the Knowledge package costs about Bt300 a month to appeal to the mass audience. It has about 600,000 subscribers.
Anat said he targeted at least 20-per-cent growth in subscribers this year by focusing on locally produced programmes and sports such as the Thailand Premier League, which TrueVisions started showing in 2010 for three seasons.
While declining to comment on the budget for broadcasting the Thailand Premier League, Ongard said the company spends about Bt150 million each season on production and high-definition broadcasting technology.
Last year the local soccer league attracted about 30 per cent more Knowledge-package customers to the company.
