THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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MCOT secures 5 key sponsors for live EPL broadcasts

MCOT secures 5 key sponsors for live EPL broadcasts

MCOT, the operator of Modernine TV, revealed yesterday that its plan to broadcast 17 live soccer matches of the English Premier League had attracted five key sponsors.

Though those sponsors could not be disclosed, MCOT president Anek Permvongseni said this new revenue could offset its investment in a sub-licensing deal with CTH, the broadcasting-rights holder for the EPL. 
The state media enterprise expects that the league’s first season will generate new revenue and improve TV audience ratings for the remaining months of the year after its first-half financial performance witnessed slow growth.
Under this deal, MCOT has the right to televise 17 live matches per season out of the total of 380 matches through Modernine TV, from next month until 2016.
CTH chief executive officer Kittsanan Ngampathipong said yesterday that as his company had a small sales team to work on sponsorship via free television, the sub-licensing deal was the right answer.
 
Sub-licensing 
A source at MCOT revealed earlier that its board led by chairman Sutham Saengpratoom had opted to pay Bt140 million for the sub-licensing deal under revenue sharing from advertisements generated from live matches and highlight programmes. 
According to Bualuang Securities, MCOT’s audience share declined from 8 per cent in January to 6.8 per cent in June. Its mean audience share also fell from 8.1 per cent in the second half of last year and 8.2 per cent in first half of this year to 7 per cent so far in the second half of this year.
However, Bualuang forecast that MCOT’s share of advertising spending in the second half would improve from the first six months. MCOT launched a programme revamp in July. Ratings for news shows have improved, but those for evening game shows have not.          
Although the broadcast of live EPL soccer matches and related activities will boost income somewhat, there are downside risks, according to Bualuang’s projection.
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