VietNamNet Bridge – Only one day after the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided to inspect the 20-year broadcast rights contract between AVG Group and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), digital TV broadcaster VTC put forward a proposal of cooperation with AVG.
On January 10, VTC sent a dispatch to AVG, asking AVG’s cooperation in sharing broadcast rights of Super League’s matches. VTC wants to select games for filming and airing live itself.

AVG said that it is ready to cooperate with any TV station that wants to broadcast football leagues. AVG and VTC met for discussion.

VTC will cooperate with AVG for the first time this weekend, in the third round of Super League. In the two first rounds, VTC aired live the games between V. Ninh Binh – CS Dong Thap and Hai Phong – Navibank Saigon with the Vietnam Professional Football Company’s (VPF) permission.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on January 9 decided to inspect the broadcast rights contract between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the AVG Group. The inspection will take place in 15 days, as of January 9.

According to the Ministry, VFF has the right to organize and manage football tournaments in Vietnam. The VPF is authorized by VFF to hold the Super League, the First Division Tournament and the National Cup. The Ministry asked VFF, VPF and FCs to respect the contract during the investigation time.

In related news, on January 11, VPF’s representatives met with officials of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training on the TV right dispute.

At the meeting, VPF suggested that the TV right contract with AVG should be three years, instead of 20 years. This firm asked AVG to pay VND10 billion ($500,000) of copyright fee for Super League 2012, not VND6.6 billion as it signed with VFF.

The general department’s chief Vuong Quoc Thang said that he would report VPF’s suggestions to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. He added that the dispute will be settled under Vietnamese law, FIFA rules and VFF’s charters.

“Related parties must have to wait for the conclusion of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s inspection group,” Thang said.

VFF and VPF have different viewpoints about the conclusion of the Ministry’s inspectors. VFF’s Chair Nguyen Trong Hy said that this conclusion is enough to put an end to the dispute while VPF’s Chair Vo Quoc Thang said that the opinion from the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Information and Communications is needed.

Thang said that if VPF does not agree with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s inspectors, this company can bring the case to the higher level.

A source from VPF said that this firm will petition the Prime Minister to instruct relevant ministries to re-consider the contract signed between VFF and AVG.

Tran Ky