IMG scores global TV rights to CSL

According to SportsPro Media, IMG, a global sports, other events and talent management company headquartered in New York City, has secured the exclusive global television rights to the Chinese Super League (CSL) for two years from rights holder CSM.

The deal excludes mainland China, where Ti'ao Power's US$1.25 billion deal sees it retain exclusivity, while the internet streaming rights in several other territories, including China, the US, Canada and Hong Kong, are held by Le Eco's sporting arm, Le Sports.

The deal has been struck prior to the 2016 CSL season, which gets underway on Friday. Though no carriage deals with individual broadcasters have yet been finalized, IMG said in a statement that it had ‘already received strong interest in a number of territories including in the UK, Europe, Brazil, the Middle East, and Asia.’

The deal will also see IMG act as a consultant on TV production and includes in-flight rights, with games to be aired on the company's IMG Sport 24 in-flight channel. No financial terms of the deal have been disclosed as of now.

Source: SportsPro Media