FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Fierce battle seen for right to broadcast World Cup finals

Fierce battle seen for right to broadcast World Cup finals

THE coming bid by major Thai TV stations for broadcasting rights to the 2018 Fifa World Cup Finals from Russia is expected to be intense.

Surin Krittiyaphongphun, executive vice president of Bangkok Entertainment Company, said its TV network, which comprises Channel 3, Channel 3 SD and 3 Family, was ready to broadcast 32 live matches of the World Cup Finals, due to run from June 14 to July 15, 2018.
“Looking at the match schedule for the World Cup Finals, it appears to be perfect timing for an official broadcaster in Thailand because the airtime of those matches will not affect local prime-time slots. This is very interesting,” Surin said.
However, he admitted that competition for the coming round of bids for rights to show the matches was likely to be fierce. 
RS, which held the World Cup broadcasting rights for 2010 and 2014, is also keen to secure the 2018 rights for its free-TV Channel 8. Chief executive officer Surachai Chetchotisak said his company had experience broadcasting two consecutive tournaments and understood well how to manage the costs. 
“The Fifa World Cup is one of the most watched soccer tournaments. It is worth having, but at a reasonable price,” he said.
According to an industry source, RS reportedly paid about Bt600 million in 2006 to secure all media rights for the Fifa World Cup Finals in 2010 and 2014 via its subsidiary RS International Broadcasting and Sport Management. However, the company was able to turn a profit through many marketing activities and sub-licensing agreements. 
Surachai said the World Cup Final three years hence would be in a different context compared with last year and 2010 because of a new broadcasting regulation, the “must-have rule”. So monetisation of this top-class sport content appears to be limited by the new restriction. 
Under this rule, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission demands that the World Cup Final along with six other sporting events must be telecast only on free-to-air TV. The other six are the Southeast Asian Games, Asean Para Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. 
The popularity of soccer among local audiences is on the rise after the Thai national team performed well in the Asian World Cup Qualifier. ThaiRath TV, digital channel 32, gained the right to broadcast the live match between Thailand and Iraq in the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia Qualifier in September. In that period, the audience rating at ThaiRath TV soared to 7.5 points, outpacing market leader Channel 7. 
Despite being just a qualifier, the bid for the right to telecast a live rematch between Thailand and Iraq next March was also intense, and GMM Grammy’s One digital channel won the right over ThaiRath TV. 
The industry source said this seemed to mark the beginning of fierce competition among local TV broadcasters for the right to broadcast the 2018 World Cup Final, while international media powerhouses like Qatar’s beIN Sports are also interested in securing these rights. 
To date, beIN Sports Arabia has struck deals for World Cup Final broadcast rights in 21 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. 
 
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