VietNamNet Bridge – AVG Group now holds the V-League broadcast right for up to 20 years. Football clubs (FC) say that the 20-year contract between AVG and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is contrary to the Law on Sports and Physical Training, which must be reconsidered.
In early October 2010, AVG proposed to buy broadcast right of the VFF’s tournaments. After a meeting with FCs in Nha Trang, VFF signed the 20-year contract with AVG.

Under the contract, AVG exclusively holds the broadcast right of V-League for 20 years. In the first year, AVG has to pay VFF VND6 billion ($300,000). The payment will increase by 10 percent annually. VFF receives 50 percent of the pay and the remaining is shared to FCs.

VFF signed the contract with AVG based on the Regulations on Professional Football. “The broadcast right of football matches belongs to VFF. Only VFF has the right to negotiate and sign contracts with partners on the broadcast right of all matches,” according to Article 68 of the Regulations.

However, after VFF and FCs agreed to establish the Vietnam Professional Football JS Company (VPF), some matters have risen because VPF will replace VFF to run the V-League.

Hanoi ACB FC’s Chair, Nguyen Duc Kien, said that this is the only contract in the world with 20 years of validity. Kien asked VFF to reconsider the contract because it can widely affect Vietnam’s football. Kien’s petition is supported by 28 FCs at the V-League and the First Division Tournament 2012 (the most important football events in Vietnam).

FCs asked VFF to give VPF the right to make decision on broadcast right and the profit sharing mechanism based on capital contributed by share holders to the VPF (including 14 FCs and VFF).

FCs also questioned whether the Regulations on Professional Football is contrary to the Law on Sports and Physical Training, because Article 53 of this law states: “National sport federations, professional sports clubs, other individuals and organizations that organize elite and professional sports tournaments are the owners of the events they organize.”

Under the law, VPF is the owner of V-League so this company must have the right to do business with the event, FCs said.

But VFF confirmed that it carefully researched the law before signing the contract with AVG and the contract is legal.

FCs said that the establishment of VPF requires VFF to amend the Regulations on Professional Football.

“Football tournaments still belong to the VFF. The only difference is that VPF will replace VFF to manage these events. VFF is still the management body of FCs and tournaments. If VFF does not recognize the V-League, the tournament will be illegal. VFF and AVG signed the contract already. Perhaps the contract should be assigned to VPF to implement,” suggested VFF’s Vice Chair Pham Ngoc Vien.

VPF is the initial result of the “war between FCs and VFF”. This company is not set up yet. It is said that once this firm comes out, the “war” will continue.

PV