MX23RW : Sunday, December 15 05:16:12| >> :600:134553893:134553893:

Richard Masters: 'Premier League taking steps to return football to Chinese television'

Richard Masters: 'Premier League taking steps to return football to Chinese television'
© Reuters
Premier League 'taking steps' to return top-flight action to Chinese television

The Premier League is "taking steps" to get its teams back on Chinese television, the organisation's chief executive Richard Masters has said.

The league terminated its existing contract in the country with rights holder PPTV, owned by Suning, last week after the withholding of a payment due under the terms of the deal in March.

The three-year deal with PPTV was announced last summer, and was reported to have been worth more than half a billion pounds.

Masters said he hoped it would not be long before Chinese fans of the Premier League would be able to watch the action again.

"The decision to terminate our agreement with Suning was a very difficult one and they had been a very good partner to us," he said.

"We had some difficulties that we couldn't resolve and we had to make the decision to move on. We know there are millions of fans in China who want to watch the Premier League so we are taking steps to resolve that situation.

"We need to make the right decision rather than the quickest decision, so we are getting on to that.

"Clearly it creates some financial issues but we are confident that we made the right commercial decision and the right strategic decision for the Premier League."

Masters also said it was unlikely that the pre-season Asia Trophy would be taking place next summer.

"Having been centrally involved in organising previous Asia Trophies, it is an enormous undertaking and to make it happen, it requires an enormous amount of forward planning which we just haven't been able to get done," he said.

"We have been to China twice and Hong Kong on a number of occasions and had really positive experiences and I really hope we would be welcomed if we are ready to go back with whatever pre-season format we have in the future."

ID:413671: cacheID:413671:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2616:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho checks his watch on December 5, 2018
Read Next:
Report: Mourinho in talks with Chinese club
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Chiefs
@
Browns
6pm
Ravens
@
Giants
6pm
Jets
@
Jags
6pm
Cowboys
@
Panthers
6pm
Washington
@
Saints
6pm
Dolphins
@
Texans
6pm
Bengals
@
Titans
9.25pm
Colts
@
Broncos
9.25pm
Patriots
@
Cardinals
9.25pm
Buccaneers
@
Chargers
9.25pm
Steelers
@
Eagles
9.25pm
Bills
@
Lions
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City158342721627
6Aston Villa167452425-125
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Fulham166642422224
10Brentford157263128323
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton153661421-715
16Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!