Abu Dhabi Media Company signs Premier League deal with STC

The Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) has signed an agreement with Saudi Telecom Company (STC) for the distribution of English Premier League football games in Saudi for three consecutive seasons, starting this August.

The deal will see ADMC's premium programming on its AD Sport (Al Riyadiya) channels broadcast through STC's cable-TV platform to one of the largest sports audiences in the Middle East. More information on specific packages and pricing will be released when subscription opens in mid July, ADMC said in a statement.

ADMC, which owns and publishes The National, holds the TV and digital broadcast rights in the MENA region to English football's top league.

The STC deal is part of the company's move to make the Premier League available across a variety of platforms - including cable TV, satellite, and broadband - within the region.  

As The National reported last month, the company is in talks with several regional telecommunications companies over the rights to screen the EPL over cable TV networks. It is also in talks with key internet portals, such as Yahoo Maktoob, over the digital rights.

Ahmed Nassef, the vice president and managing director of Yahoo Middle East, said last week his company was still in talks with ADMC and hopes to come to an agreement over the EPL rights.