Premier League to be shown on Etisalat, du networks

Premier League to be shown on Etisalat, du networks

Abu Dhabi Media Company signs deal allowing UAE telcos to show English football games via IPTV.

April 6, 2010 11:13 by Ben Flanagan

Football fans will soon be able to watch English Premier League games in the UAE via internet protocol TV (IPTV) services offered by the two leading telcos.

The Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC), which owns the exclusive rights to show Premier League matches in the Middle East-North Africa region, has signed agreements with both Etisalat and du to show the games via IPTV.

The distribution deal starts in August 2010 and lasts for three consecutive seasons, ADMC said in a statement issued today.

Under the deal, ADMC’s Al Riyadiya channels, which show the Premier League, will be available on Etisalat’s E-Vision and eLife services, as well as du’s IPTV service.

“Working with Etisalat brings us a step closer towards giving our audiences access to an all-encompassing EPL offering across the Middle East,” said Ricky Ghai, executive director of digital media at ADMC. “We look forward to further expanding our presence in the IPTV market segment, and delivering Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya’s high quality sports entertainment to audiences across the region.”

Details of the packages and pricing will be released in due course, the company said.

ADMC will also make the EPL available in the MENA region via high-definition set-top box and streaming via broadband internet.