Sport | Football
Local channels will broadcast new league
Dubai sports TV station says they will provide top coverage of the first season of the new professional championship.
- By Sayed Ali, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:05 July 21, 2008
- Image Credit: Atiq-Ur-Rehman/Gulf News
- Adel Abdullah Abbas (right) of Al Shabab in action against Sizar Desuza of Al Ahli during the Etisalat first division league game. Next season games such as this will be available on local channels.
Dubai: The UAE football family has welcomed decision of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to buy broadcasting rights to the Professional League (PL).
They have bought the rights for the next five years for Dh 350 million for the Abu Dhabi and Dubai sports channels.
Their purchase of the right came after the Professional League Association (PLA) and the Professional League Clubs Association (PLCA) decided to sell them to the channel, which made the best offer whether it was a local or an outside channel.
Under the deal, the Dh 70 million a year will be spilt with 60 per cent going to the 12 clubs with each receiving Dh 3.5 million and the other 40 per cent of the money will go to the PLA.
Rashid Amiri, manager of Dubai Sports Channel, said: "It was a marvellous reward from the President and his Deputy to the local channels and UAE people that our great efforts in the past has not been lost.
"We supported the UAE league from its start in the mid-seventies of last century by showing live most of the matches.
"Its not fair to give the rights of the professional league to channels from outside."
He said they were well prepared to give a tremendous coverage of the new league.
"We are ready for the big challenge when the PL kicks off. We are capable of presenting the best coverage for the new league.
"We are not looking to gain money from the viewers like other coded channels do, our channel is free to air and our main objective is to present excellent service to the viewers without charges."
Yousuf Abdullah, the UAE Football Association manager, added: "The local channels have to look for good investments and marketing to cover the expensive bill of the PL after the five years ends, this will help them to compete against outside channels even if they present a high offer."
TV rights
Sharjah will not broadcast league
The Sharjah sports channel will not be covering the Professional League when it begins this season.
The channel will focus on covering the first division, handball and basketball league matches.
"According to the instructions of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah sports channel will concentrate on showing live the first division league, as well as the handball and basketball matches.
"We will have a good coverage for the first division league. which no one was taking care of it. We hope this will contribute in developing the standard," said Kalid Safar manager Sharjah channel.
- Sayed Ali
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