IMG Extends Russian Football Premier League Contract

September 5, 2012

The Russian Football Premier League (RFPL) has secured a new three-year contract with IMG with the global sports, viagra fashion and media company to market and distribute the RFPL outside of Russia.

It has already secured contracts with more than 20 broadcasters including NHK in Japan, ESPN in Brazil and Polsat in Poland.

The  new agreement  will see IMG selling the rights for live and highlights coverage of all 240 League games  and also includes internet streaming, mobile phones, DVD and in-flight and in-ship.

IMG is currently in discussion with a number of other broadcasters around the world and anticipates further deals being concluded in the coming months.

Michael Mellor, Senior Vice President, IMG Media, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside the Russian Football Premier League and are working closely with them to both develop the profile of the clubs and players and the reach of the league.

“The increasing investment of the Russian clubs in top world talent has seen the quality of football and competition rise and the league is now rated the seventh best by UEFA. We are sure this will continue and enable IMG to utilise our worldwide international sales team in sixty offices in thirty countries around the world to grow exposure of the RFPL over the next three years.”

Founded in 2001, the RFPL, which is run by the 16 clubs in the league, succeeded the Russian Top League which had been run by the Professional Football League of Russia. The current champions are Zenit St Petersburg. The 2012/13 season will be the first run from autumn to spring like most of the other European leagues, the season having previously started in March.