The decision came after a meeting between MIC officials and sports media company MP & Silva, which holds exclusive distribution rights for the Premier League in Vietnam.
“Broadcasters in Vietnam that are redistributing channels from TrueVisions [the Premier League’s official broadcast partner in Thailand] and playing them out across their network in Vietnam are doing so absolutely against the Premier League’s contractual framework both in Vietnam and in Thailand,” said Paul Molnar, the Premier League Head of International Broadcasting and Media Operations, Premier League.
Earlier this month MP & Silva signed six separate deals for the Premier League in the country with Vietnam Satellite Digital Television (VSTV); Vietnam Saigon Tourist Cable Television (SCTV); Vietnam Television Corporation (VTC – also known as Vietnam Multimedia Corporation); Vietnam Software and Media Company (VASC); Q.net Entertainment and Communication Company (Q.net); and a joint acquisition between Vietnam Cable Television (VCTV) and Vietnam Football Media (VFM).
“We concluded that it would be in the best interests of all local broadcasters if all parties were to jointly share the costs of airing the BPL [Barclays Premier League] matches,” said Andrea Radrizzani, MP & Silva Group Chief Executive Officer. “We have always been mindful of the best interests of the consumers in Vietnam, and for this reason some eighty per cent of BPL matches are being shown across free-to-air platforms.”
