Bundesliga strengthens position in Asia with three new broadcast partner announcements
15 September 2020 – Bundesliga International, a subsidiary of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, today announced that it has signed new multi-year deals with broadcast partners in Thailand, South Korea and Singapore. The deals, all which begin from the 2020-21 season, firmly establish the league’s broadcast footprint in Asia and providing access to millions of fans in one of the sport’s fastest growing regions. In addition, the new localised agreements reinforce Bundesliga International’s intention to deliver exciting and specialised content to each market in the form of events and fan-focused engagement activities.
A new five-year deal between Bundesliga International and PPTV HD 36, operated by Bangkok Media & Broadcasting Co. Ltd, will make Bundesliga matches available on national Free-to-Air (FTA) throughout Thailand. The long-term deal will feature two live matches per Matchday and broadcast of the German Supercup, as well as the all-important promotion/relegation play-off matches. In addition, Bundesliga International and PPTV HD 36 will also collaborate with PPTV’s local sports and entertainment programming to create engaging crossover content.
In Singapore, Bundesliga International will enter into a multi-year agreement with StarHub, to become the Bundesliga’s official broadcaster and telco partner in Singapore. The new partnership will bring all 306 Bundesliga matches per season to fans in Singapore, as well as the German Supercup and relegation play-off matches. The agreement also offers comprehensive Bundesliga coverage on StarHub’s platforms, including over 200 live matches per season available through pay TV, Over-the-Top (OTT), mobile and digital platforms. Beyond the broadcasting deal, Bundesliga International and StarHub will work together on marketing activities to promote the Bundesliga in Singapore and create touchpoints for fans through onsite activations and promotions in StarHub official stores and at events.
In South Korea, Bundesliga International has also agreed to a new broadcasting deal with national public broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). The deal will bring all Bundesliga matches, the German Supercup and relegation play-off matches to South Korean fans. The deal will offer comprehensive and multi-platform coverage, through KBS’s extensive range of distribution platforms, including national terrestrial FTA television, cable, satellite, IPTV, and digital, with primary coverage on flagship channels KBS 1 and 2, and dedicated sports channel, KBSN Sports.
Robert Klein, Bundesliga International CEO, said: “We are very excited to announce this latest series of deals. Asia is a hugely significant football market and our research shows that there is a rapidly-growing Bundesliga fan base. This is not only because of our world-class players and fast, attacking football, but also because of the direct activations on the ground, such as Bundesliga Experiences, Legend visits and Meisterschale Tours, as well as working with our partners on the ground to develop the football fan base throughout Asia. All our partners are keen to work closely with Bundesliga International to better connect and engage more deeply with our fans and they share that desire. With their local expertise and our brand of exciting football, we can deliver the Bundesliga more tangibly than ever before.”