Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has reportedly agreed a sublicensing deal for rights to the Chinese Super League, the top division of domestic club football.
The Yutang Sports website, citing the Lanxiong portal, said the agreement for the ongoing 2016 CSL season specifies that CCTV 5, the sports channel operated by CCTV, will broadcast a Saturday evening game during each round, along with a further 20 matches.
In addition, CCTV 5’s live CSL coverage must include at least one home game from each of the CSL’s 16 clubs.
The agreement has reportedly been struck with media group Ti’ao Dongli, which acquired the domestic broadcast and production rights to the Super League from 2016 to 2020 through a deal reached in September.
The CCTV contract comes after Le Sports, which is operated by Chinese internet company LeEco, last month confirmed a wide-ranging strategic partnership with Ti’ao Dongli headlined by exclusive broadcast rights in a number of markets to the CSL.
The five-season rights deal runs from 2016 to 2020. Le Sports will live stream CSL matches in mainland China, the US, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Canada, and “much of” Southeast Asia.