Chinese streaming platform China Sports, also known as Zhibo.tv, has acquired exclusive rights to China League One, the country’s second-tier football division, for the 2020 season.
SportsMoney.cn reported that China Sports will stream matches and supporting content for free. It acquired the rights in a deal with the Chinese Football Association.
China Sports is also working with other media platforms to distribute the content. These include Kuaishou, which will be the exclusive short video platform and will carry live content, as well as real-time and delayed highlights, among other content.
The 2020 China League One season started last Saturday with Kuaishou showing coverage of the opening ceremony. The season is being played as a tournament, with a first round group stage featuring 18 teams taking place between September 12 and October 15.
Kuaishou, which is backed by internet giant Tencent, is China’s second-biggest short video platform after Douyin. In July, it announced a content partnership with electric car racing series Formula E.