K League launches new OTT service for international markets

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Yonhap) — The South Korean football league announced on Tuesday it will launch a new media platform to provide content in English for international markets.

The Korea Professional Football League (K League), in partnership with the global sports services provider Sportsradar, has developed the new over-the-top (OTT) platform called “K League TV.”

The K League said the new service will provide live broadcasts of all K League 1 and K League 2 matches, and will also offer exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and highlights. Matches will also be available on-demand.

This image provided by the Korea Professional Football League on Feb. 23, 2021, shows its new over-the-top platform, K League TV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This image provided by the Korea Professional Football League on Feb. 23, 2021, shows its new over-the-top platform, K League TV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The 2021 season kicks off Saturday.

The South Korean league said K League TV will be offered for free for now. A PC version will be up and running in the beginning, with mobile and smart TV apps to be developed momentarily.

The K League signed a five-year deal with Sportsradar in December 2019, giving the company exclusive international distribution rights to the K League 1 and K League 2 matches, plus promotion-relegation playoffs. The K League announced Sunday that it had sold broadcast rights to 34 countries for the 2021 season.

Sportsradar said K League TV represents the league’s latest attempt to grow global online viewership numbers, on the heels of steady increase in recent years.

jeeho@yna.co.kr(END)