VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Pay Television Association (VNPayTV) has written to MP & Silva, the exclusive sales representative for the Premier League (EPL) media rights in Vietnam, saying it wants to buy the right to broadcast matches of the English professional league for men’s association football clubs for three seasons from 2016 to 2019.

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In its document sent to MP & Silva last week, VNPayTV said it would be in charge of negotiations over the exclusive right to live EPL broadcasts in Vietnam, instead of letting local pay television service suppliers directly bid.

In recent years, pay TV channel K Plus has always beaten competitors in the Premier League broadcast bid. However, the exclusive package is deemed as expensive, causing a waste for both local pay TV stations and viewers.

On December 4, VNPayTV established a group representing local pay TV stations to negotiate an exclusive package of EPL matches. Those stations clinched a deal to let VNPayTV hold talks.

They also agreed to pay for the right to broadcast matches of the coming English football seasons at a price which is not 20% higher than that for the seasons in 2013-2015.

VNPayTV requested MP & Silva to arrange a meeting to discuss the deal.

A source said MP & Silva had offered a very high price for the exclusive broadcast right to EPL matches between 2016 and 2019. The price for the seasons in 2013-2015 is put at US$38 million.

The Ministry of Information and Communications stepped in by telling local pay TV stations not to compete with one another to buy the right at any cost.

The ministry requested pay TV stations to cooperate in buying and sharing an exclusive package to save costs. These stations are now managed by State-own enterprises such as SCTV, VTVcab, Viettel and VNPT or firms with some State ownership such as K Plus, Hanoicab and FPT.