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SCMP Reporter

Hong Kong Cable Television may dump ESPN when its contract with the popular sports channel expires this summer.

After announcing yesterday that it had separately secured exclusive three-year broadcasting rights for English Premier League soccer, which previously belonged to ESPN, the Wharf-controlled firm has even less incentive to continue with the sports channel.

ESPN's rights to the Premier League expire in August.

'It is still too early to say if we will renew the contract with ESPN,' Musetta Wu,  director for sports, international and promotion at Cable TV, said.

'We will announce it when the time comes.'

Soccer fans say there would be little reason to watch ESPN after the English games are dropped from its programme line-up. 'If ESPN doesn't have English league, what's the point of watching it?' asked student Jet Wong Man-hon.

Cable TV plans to air 370 Premier League matches next season, including at least 170 live games,  offering at least five games per week. It will also produce pre-and post-game programmes on match days, with highlights and features on individual soccer clubs.

Hong Kong's leading pay-TV operator, which had 656,000 subscribers at the end of last year, also holds exclusive rights for the Spanish La Liga, Italy's Serie A, the German Bundesliga, English FA Cup games and Japan's J-League.

'We believe strong soccer content can help us boost customer growth and advertising revenue,' Cable chief operating officer Samuel Tsang Chin-cheung  said.

To reach Chinese and foreign viewers, Cable TV will air the matches in Cantonese and English. Viewers can choose to listen to the original play-by-play commentary provided by ESPN in Britain, or a voice-over produced by local staff.

The company also launched on Monday a promotional basic package priced at $199.  Subscribers must prepay decoder and installation fees  totalling $1,290 and commit to a 30-month subscription.



Cable TV may ditch ESPN deal