Nimbus Sports, one of India’s leading media and entertainment businesses focused on sports rights management, has just announced that it has been awarded with the Premier League’s Mobile and Internet rights for over 80 countries. This milestone expands Nimbus Sport’s portfolio of rights in new media and in football.
For those who aren’t fans of the football game, the Premier League is widely known as the elite club competition in world football, and comprises over 20 clubs including the popular Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Now that Nimbus Sport has been awarded with the Premier League’s Mobile and Internet rights, for the next three years the company will be able to cover the 1140 English Premier League matches that will be played until the end of the 2009-10 Premier League Season.
Also, the rights awarded to Nimbus Sport span countries all over the world including China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka in Asia; Meddle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Algeria; European countries like Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Belgium, and Australia, New Zealand, North America and Brazil.
According to Digvijay Singh, CEO, Nimbus Sport, “This is the first time that the Premier League has offered Internet rights separately from broadcast rights, and Nimbus Sport is delighted to be a pioneering commercial partner for the world’s leading football property. With both the Internet rights and the Mobile rights to work on, we are excited at the prospect of bringing top football, on new media devices, to fans around the world.”
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said, “New media markets are an increasingly important part of our international broadcast strategy and landscape. Nimbus demonstrated the requisite drive and market knowledge to secure the mobile and internet rights for some of the key areas of Premier League growth and I am sure they will offer quality production and delivery to prospective licensees and fans alike.”
Nimbus Sport will market these rights together with PA SportEV, which is a subsidiary of PA Sport.
I hope they get UCL too! But I wonder what about the TV rights? I think espnstar have it for 3 years. But again, in the subcontinent, Ten Sports has the TV rights of UEFA Champions League, they do not cover it as good as espnstar.
Coming to the Premier League, this year it’s going to be very exciting as the big four have got in some really exciting players. Even though Nimbus has got the Premier League’s Mobile and Internet rights, it all depends on the TV coverage. Star Cricket is on, so lets hope, like last year ESPN doesn’t show preference of cricket over football. cool article! :)