VTV snaps up AFF Cup rights

Vietnamese public-service broadcaster VTV has acquired broadcast rights for the 2012 Asean Football Federation Cup in a deal worth nearly $1 million (€764,000), according to the Vietnam Net news website.

VTV agreed the deal with the Dentsu Alpha agency, the distributor of the tournament’s rights on behalf of the AFF, which organises tournaments for South East Asian nations.

A VTV spokesman said: “VTV authorities have tried their best to buy the television rights of AFF Cup 2012 with the acceptable price. We utilized all of our advantages to not being “pressed” by the partner. Moreover, Vietnamese broadcasters are no longer competing to buy TV rights so it was easier for VTV to negotiate the contract.”