One World Sports Secure US Rights for AFC Champs. League

An agreement has been reached which has seen One World Sports obtain the North American rights to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League under terms of an agreement with World Sport Group, the AFC’s exclusive media and marketing partner.

One World Sports will present the 2011 AFC Champions League matches in English on television, broadband and mobile to the event, launched in 2002, which is Asia’s premier soccer club competition. This year’s winner secures a position in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup.

The 2011 AFC Champions League started March 1 with the Group Stage, which includes 32 teams from 10 countries, including Japan, Australia, South Korea, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. The championship match will be held in November 2011.

The acquisition of the AFC Champions League follows the success of One World Sports’ live and exclusive HD exhibition of the 32 game AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 this past January. This major soccer event was also available live on One World Sports’ website and Verizon VCAST.

Preston Bornman, Chief Operating Officer, One Media Corp, parent company of One World Sports, stated: “The AFC Champions League multi-screen rights are on strategy with our long-term commitment to deliver Asia’s best soccer events live on TV, broadband and mobile to U.S. sports fans. The American response to the AFC Asian Cup was tremendous; the AFC Champions League is the top professional soccer tournament in Asia every year. We expect it to generate great interest among U.S. soccer fans and ex-pats from Asia living in the states.”

Mark Hardess, President, ASEAN and Australia, World Sport Group, added: “One World Sports did an outstanding job with the telecast of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 across North America. World Sport Group is pleased to expand the relationship with the AFC Champions League, and to fulfill our commitment to our partners and fans to extend broadcast coverage for the competition. Now, fans in the United States will be able to follow all the action and excitement from this league.”