Facebook reportedly "emerged as a contender" to broadcast the Premier League in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, its "biggest push yet" into top-flight football, according to David Hellier of BLOOMBERG. A source, who "asked not to be identified because the matter is private," added that Facebook "is in the midst of negotiating the rights and an announcement is expected within the next couple of weeks." Securing a three-year deal for the EPL "would show the U.S. social media company is "serious about grabbing global sports rights" as it tries to get people in Asia to "spend more time on its platform." It is vying with Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports, which paid around $250M for the current three-year deal to screen all 380 matches per season exclusively in the region, according to another person close to the situation. A spokesperson for beIN Sports said, "It is not appropriate to comment on a live process." Premier League club owners "have been hoping" that Facebook, Amazon and other U.S. digital companies "will take on the incumbent broadcasters" such as Sky, BT Group and beIN Sports and "push up the price of the rights" (BLOOMBERG, 6/27).
IN BRAZIL: SOCCEREX reported Facebook is set to acquire Brazilian rights to stream the Champions League. Brazil's UOL reported the deal, which was agreed with Interactive Sports, will allow the social media firm to show the competition for three years, starting from '18-19. Facebook replaces Brazilian broadcaster Globo, which has been the long-term free-to-air home of the Champions League in the country "but did not enter the bidding for the newest three-year rights cycle." UOL suggested Globo’s withdrawal "is due to the increase in costs to the broadcaster to keep the rights of other competitions," including the Copa Libertadores, the Copa do Brasil and the Brasileiro (SOCCEREX, 6/28).
