VietNamNet Bridge – The IMG Group (USA) has sent its representatives to Vietnam to offer the Premier League TV rights to the Vietnamese TV stations for up to $37.5 million.

After the lunar New Year, the Vietnam TV Association will meet on the Premier League TV rights.

Last November, the IMG Group won the auction for the Premier League TV television rights in Vietnam, for the three seasons from 2013 to 2016, with $30 million. This group’s representatives came to Vietnam in mid-January 2013 to meet with Vietnamese TV stations to sell the television rights of the world No. 1 national champion league.

"According to our information, this partner divided the Premier League 2013-2016 into three packages. The first exclusive package for Sunday matches is $18 million. The second exclusive package for the early and the best matches on Saturday is $15 million. The third package for the remaining matches is $4.5 million. The total minimum royalties that IMG wants to earn is $37.5 million," says Mr. Le Dinh Cuong, general secretary of the Association of Vietnamese pay TV.

"If including taxes and other charges, the broadcaster that buys the television rights to the Premier League from 2013 - 2016 will have to pay nearly $50 million. The television rights that the local broadcasters bought from the MP&Silva for the three seasons of 2010-2013 is around $20 million. The number offered by the IMG is quite high. However, this is understandable because they had to pay out large sums of money to win the auction last November," he says.

Cuong adds that the Ministry of Information and Communication has sent a dispatch to the two largest TV stations in Vietnam, VTV and VTC on the issue of the Premiership TV rights.

"To ensure the harmonious benefits of broadcasters the television audience, to avoid being taken advantage by foreign companies to unreasonably increase the price for TV rights, to avoid wasting social resources and causing damage to the TV audience due to the competition between TV broadcasters in Vietnam, the Ministry of information and Communication agrees with the proposal of the VTV on the allocation of VTV as the only clue to negotiate to buy the television rights for the Premier League in 2013 - 2016," the dispatch says.

"The deadline is still far so we do not need to have a rush. The Vietnam Television Association will meet to discuss the issue of the television rights of the Premier League after the lunar New Year," Cuong says.

Compiled by Nam Nguyen