English Premier League Inks Digital Rights Deal With iQiyi
iQiyi, China’s largest video streaming platform, signed a deal with the English Premier League to become the exclusive digital broadcast partner in China through the end of the 2024–2025 season.
IQiyi launched in 2018 as a joint venture with Chinese sports and media marketing company Super Sports Media, owned by Chinese sports and entertainment investor DDMC Group.
The deal gives iQiyi the digital rights to all Premier League matches each season. Games will be shown add-free and in multiple languages to appeal to all subscribers.
The Premier League’s previous UK£523 million (US$711 million) contract with Suning-owned PP Sports collapsed before the end of its contract. Tencent agreed to a one-year deal for the 2021–2022 season for less than US$10 million per season.
Interestingly enough, Super Sports Media was the Premier League’s broadcast partner in China for six years before the League signed with PP Sports in 2019.
After the failed partnership with PP Sports, the industry feared that although Premier League soccer ranks second in popularity in China behind only the National Basketball Association (NBA), they would struggle to get the same rights fee in the same ballpark they did pre-Covid.
However, iQiyi is continuing to move forward, confirming their Premier League season pass will cost CN¥318 (US$49), with a special early sign-up offer of CN¥228 (US$35).
No announcement has been made regarding the League’s Chinese linear broadcast rights ahead of the upcoming season. Historically, state broadcaster CTV acquired the rights and is thought to be the favorite to do it again despite declining to broadcast any of the competition last season.
