Hong Kong soccer fans can enjoy HK$68 all-day passes to watch English Premier League matches
For the first time, customers can choose what EPL matches they want to watch and that includes tuning in to Spanish Primera Liga games on the same day
Hong Kong soccer fans who fervently follow the English Premier League are in for a treat after local broadcasters Now TV announced a daily pass that could whet the appetite before the big kick-off on Friday.
Now TV, under its new OTT platform Now E, has come out with a plan that will enable fans to use an all-day pass to watch the English Premier League and the Spanish Primera Liga on the same day for HK$68. This is the first time that such a plan will be implemented and Now TV officials say fans can view games through their digital devices such as mobile phones, iPads and laptops.
Derek Choi Wai-kin, head of pay television of PCCW media, said the plan would fit fans’ budget if they only want to watch the EPL on certain days or “when they have time” and on their own terms.
A one-month pass will cost HK$158 while following the EPL the entire season will cost HK$1,280.
Now TV, meanwhile, will broadcast all five top European leagues, namely the EPL, the Spanish Primera Liga, the Italian Serie A, the French Ligue 1 and the German Bundesliga.
Monthly subscription for all five leagues will cost HK$398 for new customers.
“We will broadcast all 380 EPL matches live and show all La Liga matches for the season in collaboration with beIN sports,” said Choi. “A new channel will also be set up for Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga. All the top tier [European] league competitions will be under us.”
The EPL kicks off on Saturday morning (3am HK time) with English giants Manchester United up against 2015-2016 champions Leicester City. The action then continues on Saturday night with the full complement of games.
Now TV was supposed to work in collobaration with LeSports on the EPL in the last year of a three-season deal, but with LeSports closing its doors due to financial difficulties earlier this year, Now TV has become sole broadcaster in Hong Kong.
Kick off dates of the new season and channel:
ELP – Aug 11 (Now TV 621-626)
La Liga – Aug 18 (Now TV 632)
Serie A – Aug 18 (Now TV 638-639)
Ligue 1 – Aug 11 (Now TV 638-639)
Bundesliga – Aug 25 (Now TV 670-672)
