• TV rights dispute erupts

• Dispute over broadcast rights to Super League football

Disputes erupted several days before the national football championship (Super League) started on December 31.

Accordingly, the Vietnam Professional Football JSC (VPF) described a TV broadcast rights contract between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Audio Visual Global (AVG) as illegal and allowed TV stations to broadcast live the tournament’s matches.

Meanwhile, the VFF insisted that it had transferred the rights to the AVG which now has the own rights to broadcast live all matches. The VFF and AVG signed the 20-year contract in 2010.

The Government leader asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to resolve problems to live up to the spectators’ expectations.

He requested the ministry to examine the legality of the contract and then report to the Government.

During investigations, PM Dung allowed VTV and the Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC) to broadcast all matches under the management of VPF.

The PM’s decision came few hours after VPF Chairman Vo Quoc Thang sent a document to PM Dung requesting ministries and agencies to consider the legality of the contract.