Cable group urges TPL access
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) should take all possible action to ensure that all Thais can access the Thailand Premier League (TPL), the country's major soccer league, as the coming bid for the rights to broadcasts |in
The country’s primary soccer competition normally runs from March to October, with teams playing 34 games each, totalling 306 matches in the season. Currently TrueVisions, the country's largest subscription-based television operator, has the broadcasting rights until the 2014 season.
Executive adviser Wichit Aurareevorakul said that all TV operators, namely existing free-TV, cable and satellite TV channels, should be supported to take part in live broadcasting of this soccer league to ensure that all Thais can watch such programmes.
Currently, only 1.8 million TrueVisions customers of the total 22 million households nationwide are able to access live matches of this soccer league, Wichit added.
He suggested that the NBTC should support related parties to jointly bid for media rights and let them manage and deliver the live matches each season to as many viewers as possible, so they could share operation costs.
“We must learn a lesson from the recent non-availability of live Euro 2012 soccer matches on some cable and satellite TV networks due to copyright restrictions from its rights owner,” he added.
Meanwhile, the competition for acquiring the broadcasting rights for coming seasons of TPL seems to be high as music and entertainment giant GMM Grammy aims to acquire the broadcasting rights for Thailand Premier League soccer after TrueVisions’ contract with the Football Association of Thailand under the Patronage of His Majesty the King ends in 2014.
However, in a previous inter-|view with a local newspaper, Attaphon Na Bangxang, chief programme and content officer at TrueVisions, said his company wanted to secure the Thailand Premier League’s broadcasting rights for upcoming seasons.
Having this soccer league, TrueVisions expects to lure more than Bt170 million from sponsorships this year.
“Thailand Premier League should be reached by all Thais. This soccer league must be used for encouraging and inspiring young talents as well as to drive growth in related businesses,” Wichit added.
