ESPN BLOODIED IN TV RIGHTS WAR

The frenzied bidding war for Asian television rights to the English Premiership has left ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) wounded and viewers throughout the continent wondering how much they will be asked to stump up in subscription fees. 

Sources close to the online auction say that ESS have lost the rights in Singapore to StarHub and in Thailand to cable operators UBC. 

The rights, which include everything from satellite television to mobile phones, are from the start of next season for three years. 

Singapore pay TV operator StarHub has confirmed that it has won the exclusive rights to air EPL matches in the Lion City. 

StarHub subscribers are now wondering if the price of their sport package, which costs a minimum of S$15 if you sign up for at least three Basic Groups, will be hiked and by how much. 

StarHub beat off challenges from arch-rival Singtel and ESS with an offer of more than US$140 million, according to industry insiders. 

It was revealed late last year that Hong Kong's PCCW had won the rights for the former British territory which, like Singapore, laps up everything about the English game, chiefly to get the heads-up for gambling purposes. 

The matches will air on PCCW's internet and pay-television unit Now Broadband, which outbid i-Cable Communications to obtain the rights. 

ESS, which has built its platform around English football with several shows promoting their most valuable asset, have also missed out on the rights in China and Thailand, which have gone to cable channel UBC and China Guangdong soccer channel respectively. 

There was immediate speculation in Thailand that UBC might ask subscribers to pay extra for English football next season and limit the number of pre-match shows in English. 

By mid-January, though, UBC had not informed their subscribers of any changes in service or cost. 

ESS had to put in sizeable  offers to obtain the broadcasting licences for Malaysia and Indonesia. 

There were at least five bidders in Thailand and ESS had to outbid eight parties to retain the rights for Malaysia. Yes TV were successful in Japan and industry sources estimate that the English Premier League will receive a total of US$775 million from Asia, including Japan and the Middle East, for the three year cycle starting next August. 

The blow to ESS was softened with news that they had reached an agreement for the the right to broadcast 370 matches per season throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Mongolia and the Maldives via television, broadband and mobile technologies. 

Television industry sources said that the successful  bids were as follows: 

China - Guangdong Soccer Ch - US$45-50 million
Japan - Yes TV @ more than 32 million
Korea - ESS - 30 million
Indonesia - ESS - 40 million
Malaysia - ESS -  85-100 million
Thailand - UBC - 60 million
Singapore - StarHub - 140-150 million
Hong Kong - PCCW -180-200 million
Indochina, Taiwan, Brunei - ESS - 10 million
Middle East - Showtime - 125 million
Indian Sub-continent - ESS - unknown