Madrid To Challenge Premier League In Asia
Real Madrid will start their match against Osasuna next Sunday at midday – their earliest ever kick off – in an attempt to challenge for a share of the Premier League’s ever-expanding Asian marketplace.
The early start, 11am UK time, has been specifically aimed at the Asian market, with the match set for prime time coverage in markets such as China, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Premier League has counted the success of its lunchtime Sunday kick-offs for years, with the league’s international broadcast rights worth about four times La Liga’s overseas television income.
Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, told The Sun: ‘Kick-off times in today’s globalised markets are very important. You have to think of all Continents. The English do that. In Asia the Premier League has more appeal because they can watch it live there thanks to the early kick-off times.
‘We have to put the games at the times that will give us the biggest amount of money. If we have to play at 1pm, like they do in England, then we will.’
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho added his own personal support, saying: ‘From my experience in England, it was positive to play at noon. You finish at 2pm, go home and have a day with the family.’
Meanwhile, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has appointed UFA Sports to exclusively market the Spanish national soccer team’s media rights in China, India, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines.
