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Premier League does deal with Facebook

The Premier League has agreed its first broadcast deal with Facebook, which has won exclusive rights to show matches in parts of Asia from next year. The social media giant is understood to have beaten the television networks Bein Sports and Fox Sports Asia in the auction to gain live broadcast rights in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos from next year until 2022 in a deal worth about £200m.

Facebook's successful bid in Asia follows Amazon's breakthrough deal in Britain last month in which it gained the rights to broadcast 20 live matches a season from 2019-20. It is the latest indication of the Premier League's determination to appeal to streaming services as well as traditional broadcasters.

The Premier League is also understood to have held talks with YouTube and Netflix over rights deals in several territories and believes that targeting technology companies is the best way to secure future revenue growth for the clubs.

Amazon has ambitions to increase its offering to customers in Britain in the 2019-22 cycle and is likely to bid for the rights to show goal clips and near live action, which has yet to go to market.

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