In a move that has blindsided StarHub, SingTel’s mio TV has swooped in on broadcast rights for the next three seasons of the Barclays Premier League (BPL) on a non-exclusive basis.
This means it is not obliged to share content with its competitors. It also scored its goal a day before the rest of Asia.
mio TV, which also holds the current package of BPL rights, told BT yesterday that it had approached the Premier League for the rights before the tender was due to be open for bidding to Asian broadcasters today.
“We knew that the rights would come up for bidding around this time, so we went in pretty early to have discussions with them. They’re our partner anyway and over the last few years, we’ve been talking to them. As October approached, we increased the intensity of discussions with them,” Allen Lew, SingTel’s CEO of Group Digital Life, told BT last night.
When contacted, StarHub spokeswoman Jeannie Ong said: “We are surprised that Football Association Premier League (FAPL) did not conduct a tender for Singapore, departing from all past practice. We will be seeking clarification from FAPL before deciding on our next course of action. We will be keen to acquire the BPL only if the price is right.”