The Premier League Has Successfully Pursued A Chinese Company For Huge Football Broadcasting Payments.

• Published date: 25 January 2022
• Subject Matter: Corporate/Commercial Law, Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment, Corporate and Company Law, Contracts and Commercial Law, Broadcasting: Film, TV & Radio, Sport
• Law Firm: Rahman Ravelli Solicitors
• Author: Mr Syedur Rahman

Syed Rahman of business litigation specialists Rahman Ravelli considers the case.

A court ordered a Chinese broadcaster to pay England's Premier League at least $213 million for missed payments in a $700 million football TV rights deal.

The High Court in London granted The Football Association Premier League Ltd summary judgment in its fight to recover money owed by PPLive Sports International Ltd, under a contract for the broadcast of live Premier League games and match highlights.

The Premier League had terminated a three-year deal with PPLive in August 2020 - after just one season - because of missed payments. The Chinese company had not paid $210.3 million that was due in March 2020 or $2.7 million due for highlights videos in June 2020.

COVID-19 restrictions meant that Premier League matches were suspended in March 2020 until June that year, when matches were then played without fans in stadiums. PPLive, which owns Italian football club Inter Milan, said it suffered substantial losses because of these changes.

But Judge Peter Fraser said that the way the Premier League season was resumed in 2020 did not amount to "fundamental changes" that would have given PPLive the grounds to seek a reduction in...