BBTV sets sports rights budget

Thai commercial broadcaster BBTV has set itself a budget of Bt1 billion (€25 million/$32 million) for the acquisition of international sports rights for its commercial Channel 7, according to the Nation newspaper.

“International sport tournaments have been one of our strengths for many years. We will continue to keep our focus on this kind of content,” Palakorn Somsuwan, BBTV’s assistant managing director for programming and content, said.

The report said that part of the Bt1 billion budget had already been allocated to BBTV’s six-year deal, from 2012-13 to 2017-18, to show the FA Cup, the top knockout football competition in England. BBTV has also acquired rights for the DFB-Pokal, the German domestic football cup, from 2012-13 to 2014-15. The broadcaster also has rights to international golf and volleyball events.