DOHA: Al Jazeera television said yesterday it has secured the rights to air the English Premier League across the Middle East and North Africa for a further three years, extending to 2015-2016.
The pan-Arab network said the agreement makes it the “exclusive media rights holder to all 380 Barclays Premier League matches across all media platforms and devices in the MENA region that comprises 23 countries”.
“We are extremely excited by the addition of the Barclays Premier League for the next three year cycle, the value that this can add to our customer proposition and extending further our portfolio of top European football,”
Al Jazeera Sport chairman
Nasser Al Khelaifi said in a statement.
The League’s chief executive, Richard Scudamore, also welcomed the deal. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Al Jazeera Sport as a new partner in Middle East North Africa,” he was quoted as saying.
For the new season Al Jazeera Sport will launch three new HD channels and show every moment of the Barclays Premier League action.
Al Jazeera Sport has lined up some of the most experienced and well-loved sports presenters in the industry to front their productions in the region, the organisation said.
Ayman Jada and Mohammed Saadon Al Kuwari will present the Arabic coverage of the Barclays Premier League while the English studios will feature Richard Keys and Andy Gray, who have been at the heart of the Barclays Premier League since coverage began.
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