Gobind: Half the cost to air Russia W-Cup matches already covered

PUTRAJAYA: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) has already obtained sponsorship to pay for half the cost of the rights to air the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup matches.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the actual cost of the licence was RM30mil, which was RM10mil less than the ceiling rate placed by the Government.

“We have already secured RM15mil in sponsorship from companies, the full list of which will be provided later.

“RTM is working on getting sponsorship for the remaining half of the cost,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

The Government initially allocated up to RM40mil to broadcast 41 of the total 64 World Cup football matches for free via RTM.

Of the 64, the national broadcaster will now show a total of 41 matches – 27 live and 14 delayed.

Earlier at the same press conference, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng justified the cost of buying the rights, saying it was a huge international sporting event.

“It comes only once every four years, and we see it as a worthwhile expenditure because most of the cost can be recouped through sponsorship,” he said.

This came as various quarters, including former minister Tan Sri Rais Yatim, questioned who would be footing the RM40mil cost to televise the games and said this was not in line with the Government’s austerity drive.

The Government has said it will try to have direct negotiations to reduce the overall cost of broadcasting matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which takes place in Russia from June 14 to July 15.

The Star reported that there are two types of broadcasting rights to the tournament – Pay TV and Free-to-Air.

Astro, which has Pay TV broadcasting rights to all 64 matches, is offering them live in high definition.