Facebook Wins Exclusive Rights To Premier League In Asia

The Premier League agreed to its first broadcast deal with Facebook, with the social media company "winning exclusive rights to show live matches in large parts of Asia" from '19, according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. Facebook is understood to have beaten beIN Sports and Fox Sports Asia in the auction to gain live broadcast rights in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos from '19-22 in a deal worth about £200M ($264.3M). Facebook’s "successful bid in Asia follows Amazon’s breakthrough deal" in the U.K. last month in which it gained the right to show 20 live matches per season from '19 and is the latest indication of the Premier League’s "determination to appeal to streaming services as well as traditional broadcasters." The Premier League reportedly also held talks with YouTube and Netflix "over rights deals in several territories." Facebook will live stream all 380 Premier League matches from '19 in its "biggest and most high-profile sports offering to date" (LONDON TIMES, 7/5).