The Japan Professional Football League, organising body of club football in the country, has agreed a 10-season rights deal with digital sports media group Perform.
The agreement, first reported in the Japanese media last month, was confirmed today (Wednesday). Under the deal, Perform has secured rights to broadcast all J1, J2 and J3 league tournaments from the 2017 to 2026 seasons.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Nikkei Asian Review newspaper said it is worth more than Y200bn (€1.7bn/$1.88bn) over its 10-season duration. The J.League’s current five-season rights deal with Japanese pay-television operator SkyPerfecTV runs through the ongoing 2016 season and is said to be worth Y3bn per year.
The agreement marks the first time that all games from all leagues will be broadcast in Japan. The rights will be exploited through Perform’s new OTT sports subscription service, DAZN.
The platform will launch in Japan, along with Germany, Austria and Switzerland this summer with further countries to be announced in due course.
DAZN will be available on leading internet-connected devices, including smart televisions, personal computers, tablets, smartphones and game consoles. At launch, Perform said DAZN will offer access to a number of leading international sports including football from the top leagues, the best US sport and tennis.
Mitsuru Murai, chairman of the Japan Professional Football League, said: “The agreement with Perform Group is the first long-term, large-scale agreement for broadcasting rights in the history of Japanese sport. I see it as proof that the Japanese sports industry’s content is being regarded as an attractive investment.
“It is also the first case of an agreement with a vendor whose main business is the internet and mobile, an area that is rapidly evolving. J.League will use the foundation of this dramatic partnership to advance new and strategic investments, to improve the football environment, provide engaging stories, and to strengthen our industrial base.”
Simon Denyer, Perform Group chief executive, added: “Today’s announcement is a major milestone for both Perform, but more specifically, sports fans across the world. With this service, consumers will be able to enjoy sport live and on demand without having to face expensive packages and lengthy contracts. With the help of the internet, we are putting the power in consumers' hands to watch their sport, their way.”
Alongside today’s news, J.League and Perform said they are also working with telecommunications company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp on a ‘Smart Stadium’ project.
The project will offer cutting-edge technology to stadiums across Japan, starting with J1 clubs’ home stadiums. The project will enable Wi-Fi access in the stadiums, providing high-quality streaming services and an enhanced experience for the fans both in and around the stadium.
Perform said in a statement: “Smart Stadium will create an environment in which fans can instantly check out match statistics, watch playbacks or goal replays, as they are watching the match. Combined with this, the technology will be an opportunity for digital marketing and developing local communities through the promotion of local communities’ shops and tourist facilities.”