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New Premier League China deal is a pale shadow

The Premier League has negotiated a new broadcasting deal in China, but it does not match the $700m deal it had with PPTV which was cancelled after they wanted to cut back on the amount they paid.

The new deal with Tencent, which runs until the end of the season, includes a fee and a revenue sharing arrangement based on the number of subscribers  .   However, it is thought to be worth 10 per cent of the amount of the PPTV deal.

Clubs have reassured that they will not be out of pocket as PPTV had already paid up half of its contract.  The Big Six have backed the new deal because for the first time it allows them to show clips on the Chinese version of their club channels, something they have wanted for a long time as a means of building their fan base.

The Premier League is still searching for a longer-term replacement for PPTV in its most important overseas market.

Pandemic-related losses already brought a fall of £850m last season for the Premier League.  A further £570m drop in revenue is expected this season from the loss of match day revenue.


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