The Premier League is all set to launch a content service for its licensees who are based outside Ireland and the United Kingdom, reports euFootball.BIZ. The chief executive of the PL, Richard Scudamore, said, "We have worked hard to make interest in the Barclays Premier League global and we currently broadcast in 211 territories to a global reach of over 500 million. As we have grown so has the thirst from our licensees and prospective licensees to have more content from us. We have listened to them and the Premier League's content service is the response to that demand.
"Our content service will be at the vanguard of sports industry media development. We are moving away from a time where the people who buy our rights overseas are traditional broadcasters, to one where buyers can include telephony companies and platform operators who do not generate their own content. This new service gives them access to quality Premier League content 24 hours a day."
This content will be produced by the Premier League Productions division at IMG and will be offered year round. John Dykes of ESPN Star Sports is slated to be the anchor of the studio presentations.
He is established as the face of football for many in Asia having hosted Barclays Premier League matches and Final Score, Football Focus, First Edition and Football Up Close for many years now.
Scudamore added, "It gives me particular pleasure to welcome our first signing, John Dykes, who we have known for many years thanks to his excellent work on ESPN Star Sports. John's passion for football really does come across on screen; it's not for nothing that he's known as 'Mr Premier League' in Asia and I'm sure he'll do a great job leading the line on the Premier League's content service.
The service, to be launched in August, will showcase the 20 Premier League clubs and offer studio-based output to international fans. It will include live matches when possible that will fit in a single service and also around six matches during the weekend.
This will give fans access to 380 Premier League games. There will also be magazine programs and other related programs scheduled around these matches.
Scudamore feels that "This new service is going to deliver engaging content, and I am sure the quality production, international standing and appreciation of the sports market by IMG, who we have worked in partnership with since 1997, will ensure that the Premier League's content service will deliver an even better Premier League to our fans across the world."
