Russian Soccer Clubs Finally Sign Television Deal

[mastodon]

Russian premier division clubs, nearly halfway into the season, will finally get a chance to be seen on national television after finding wealthy sponsors for the broadcasts.

"I'm happy to announce that millions of our soccer fans will be able to follow their teams on national television," Russian soccer chief Vyacheslav Koloskov told local media on Tuesday.

"At last, with the help of the four biggest oil companies, we will be able to show premier division games on a regular basis."

Russian soccer has been marred by the absence of nationwide television coverage since the end of the 1999 season when a three-year contract with a chewing gum company expired.

Several leading clubs, including champions Spartak Moscow, who signed a multi-million dollar deal with private company Ren-TV to broadcast all their home matches last year, decided to abandon the league-wide pool to go their separate ways.

Now, after months of negotiation, four major Russian oil companies have joined forces to sponsor premier division matches on the country's two main channels, state-owned RTR and public television company, ORT.

The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
//Reuters

[ILay]

Well, the plays of the team I stand for ('Zenit' St.Petersburg) are always translated live on the regional St.Pete tv channel.

As on national tv the only coverages are given if one of the Moscow teams play