SINGAPORE, 8 FEBRUARY 2012 – The S.League management team is pleased to announce that the 2012 Great Eastern-YEO'S S.League season’s matches will be aired by Official Broadcaster StarHub on its pay TV, online and mobile platforms. The S.League also announced a new partnership with ESPN STAR Sports to produce the matches and distribute S.League highlights regionally on its Asia-wide networks.
Keeping with the various new initiatives associated with S.League Version 2.0, StarHub affirmed its support for local football by coming onboard as the title sponsor for the 2012 League Cup, henceforth named the StarHub League Cup.
StarHub will air one ‘live’ Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League match per match-week on SuperSports Arena (StarHub TV Channel 112/201) starting with Gombak United FC vs. new league entrant Harimau Muda on 9 February 2012, this Thursday at 7.30pm. SuperSports Arena is a complimentary sports channel available to all StarHub TV customers. The matches will be shown on StarHub TV Online and StarHub TV on Mobile as well.
"As the Official Broadcaster, we want to showcase Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League matches to the widest audience possible through our pay TV, online and mobile platforms. The S.League is an intrinsic part of Singapore football and deserves the wholehearted support from both fans and sponsors alike. In tandem with our sponsorship of LionsXII, we hope that our StarHub League Cup sponsorship will spur excitement among fans of local football while encouraging the rest of the corporate community to step up and support our athletes," said Mr Chan Kin Hung, Head of Products & Solutions, StarHub.
ESPN STAR Sports’ first ever production partnership with the S.League includes the production of 30‘live’ matches, comprising 26 league games and four cup matches. Jalan Besar Stadium will be the venue for all ‘live’ games.
The S.League match preview shows will be hosted by ESPN’s SportsCenter news anchor Colette Wong, and the match commentary will be led by football experts Paul Masefield and Dez Corkhill. They will be accompanied by a team of local and international football experts including ESPN STAR Sports’ guest football expert and former Malaysian international Shebby Singh, who will be a part of the programme for the season’s opening match on Thursday.
ESPN STAR Sports will broadcast a 30-minute highlight show across major STAR Sports networks covering 12 countries every Monday, starting next week on 13 February. StarHub will also carry the highlights show on its network, while Astro Arena will do likewise in Malaysia and Brunei.
Said ESPN STAR Sports' Huw Bevan, Senior Vice President, Production: “We’re delighted to work with the FAS as a partner to engage and entertain discerning football fans with our trademark top-class match presentation. We’re looking forward to give viewers a comprehensive football experience with our unrivalled production expertise in delivering the best coverage of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League to football fans in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. In addition, we’re pleased to showcase the S.League highlights on our broadcast networks across the region to build its profile across Asia.”
Mr Lim Chin, Chief Executive Officer of the S.League, said: “I am pleased to welcome StarHub and ESPN STAR Sports to the S.League family. With their expertise in the their respective fields, I am certain that both ESPN STAR Sports and StarHub will help us bring the league to the next level in terms of quality production and broadcasting and this will translate into enhanced viewing experience for our fans and increased support for our league.”
“For the first time in our history, the live telecast of our professional league matches and highlight shows will go beyond the shores of Singapore, into Malaysia and Brunei. This will expand our geographical presence and will go a long way in boosting the appeal of the S.League in Asia.”
Touching on the StarHub’s sponsorship of the 2012 League Cup, Mr Lim said “I am also thankful that StarHub has decided to extend its support of local football by being the title sponsor of the League Cup this year. StarHub has been an active supporter of local football over the years, and I sincerely hope that more corporations will do likewise and step forward to support our own professional league.”