ESPN STAR Sports Scores FA English Football Rights

NEW DELHI: ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has renewed its deal for the exclusive broadcast rights to all Football Association (FA) Cup matches for the next six years for the South Asian region. 

The multiplatform pact covers TV, Internet and mobile until 2018 for territories such as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal. ESS will start broadcasting the first round of the matches on November 3 all the way up to the final in May next year. The ageement is for all FA Cup matches, The FA Community Shield and all Senior and Under-21 England Team home matches. ESS did the deal with MP & Silva. 

Peter Hutton, the managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, said, “Having a season round offering of football is at the heart of our dominance of the Indian sports market, and the unique stories that the FA Cup creates every year is a very welcome part of our lineup. The FA Cup was seen in India long before the Premier League and the other European leagues, and we’re very proud to be able to continue the tradition.”

“ESPN STAR Sports has a stellar track record for growing the popularity of English football in Asia and we look forward to extending this strong relationship in the coming years,” added Stuart Turner, The FA’s group commercial director. “We are excited to work with ESPN STAR Sports who will continue to provide excellent exposure for the England Team and The FA Cup on a multiplatform basis in key Asian markets. These markets are important to us and we’re going to be putting together some exciting initiatives in India in particular, including bringing The FA Cup out to the sub-continent.”

Andrea Radrizzani, the group CEO of MP & Silva, commented, “The FA Cup is another eagerly awaited football event on every football fan’s calendar, and we’re glad to see that it’s being broadcast by ESPN STAR Sports, as part of the network’s comprehensive stable of key football properties. The availability of this exciting content across the different platforms also recognizes the evolution of how football audiences are now consuming their sports.”