*It is a ‘win-win deal, says Tengku Abdullah
* Super League and Premier League teams to earn more with the new deal
The Football Association of Malaysia have secured a lucrative 15-year deal worth RM1.26 billion, in a joint partnership with MP & Silva – a well known international media rights company – on Monday. The deal takes effect from 2016.
FAM supremo Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is also the Crown Prince of Pahang, said the initial contract will be for six years to be reviewed every three years thereafter, depending on the “performance” of the joint venture which effectively shuts out Astro, Media Prima, Telekom Malaysia and Fox Sports hopes of securing a deal of RM60 million per year over six years with the FAM.
The new deal with MP & Silva will be penned this Friday. Both, the FAM and MP & Silva have agreed to set up a company – Football Malaysia Limited LIability Partnership (FMLLP) – to manage the M-League which is fast developing into a league of reckoning in this region with most of the teams coming up with hefty budgets.
According to Tengku Abdullah, MP & Silva have pledged an annual sponsorship of RM70 million for the first six years (2016-2021) and this will be increased to RM85 million from 2022-2024, increasing to RM92 million (2025-2027) and RM103 million (2028-2031).
“What is important here is the FAM will retain the ownership, unlike before when we sold the broadcast rights to Astro,” said Tengku Abdullah, happy with what is taking place as FAM takes another step towards privatising the M-League.
MP & Silva come with high credentials and are partners with the English Premier League, described as the best football league in the world, Badminton Asia Confederation, the German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and the much followed Major League Baseball in America.
Tengku Abdullah spoke to the media after chairing the FAM exco meeting in Kelana Jaya on Monday and revealed that the FAM will receive 40 per cent from the RM70 million and the M-League teams will get 30 per cent in the first six years. The rest of the money will go towards the running of the M-League plus the development of referees and youth football.
