Football may be the world’s sport, but it’s growing increasingly out of reach for much of the world’s population.
The company which owns broadcasting rights for the World Cup has threatened to block all matches from all households in Thailand if a court rules against them today.
RS International Broadcasting and Sport Management said a decision in favor of Thai regulators seeking the compel the broadcast of all matches for free would be a burden on the company that could lead it to pull the plug on all broadcasting in Thailand, according to The Nation’s Watchiranont Thongtep.
“Faced with these difficulties, the company might decide not to broadcast all live matches of the World Cup, which kicks off Friday, to prevent further damage to its business,” RS lawyer Supan Sueharn said.
RS had previously brokered a deal with TrueVisions and agreed to broadcast 22 of 64 matches on free Channel 7,
Historically all matches of the quadrennial event were available for free to all in Thailand, including the 2010 matches in South Africa.
Today the Supreme Administrative Court is expected to rule on an appeal by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission, which sought to compel free broadcast of all matches through regulatory means.
Related:
TrueVisions strikes deal to air World Cup
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