China's leading Internet protocol television (IPTV) provider, Shanghai-based BesTV, announced on Monday that it has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights for the Premier League from '13-18 on "new media" TV in the Chinese mainland, according to Zhang Xiang of CHINA DAILY. The rights "were purchased from Super Sports Media Group which has the exclusive live audio visual broadcast rights for matches" for '10-19 in the Chinese mainland and Macao. BesTV also injected $1.85M into Super Sports Media Group through increments of cash and taking 14% of stock in the company. At the same time, BesTV's subsidiary BesTV Int'l (Cayman) Ltd. will invest $35.15M in BesTV Int'l (Hongkong) Ltd. The investment "will be used to expand the overseas business and consumers." Aside from the football rights, BesTV has "recently extended the partnership with the NBA to continue broadcasting the games on IPTV in the following three years." The company did not "speculate on future Premier League advertising revenue during its announcement, but it is expected to be high considering profits earned from the China Super League’s broadcast," which costs 80,000 yuan ($130,448) for a 15-second commercial on CCTV-5 (CHINA DAILY, 7/1).
