TV Report: MLS adds to international presence

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Mar 31, 2015

After deals with Sky Sports (Britain) and Eurosport (Europe), Major League Soccer has signed agreements with Brazilian broadcaster Globosat to televise MLS matches in Brazil and Abu Dhabi Sports Channel to televise matches across the Middle East and North Africa. The four-year deals are the first for both networks with MLS.

The Rio de Janeiro-based Globosat will televise at least two MLS regular-season matches per week in alternating years on Globosat networks SporTV 1, SporTV 2 and SporTV 3. The United Arab Emirates-based broadcaster Abu Dhabi Sports Channel  will also telecast at least two MLS regular-season matches per week on Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya and Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya 2.

"This new agreement with Globosat is further illustration of the growing demand for Major League Soccer in the global media rights marketplace," said Gary Stevenson, President and Managing Director, MLS Business Ventures in a statement. "With Flavio Augusto da Silva's ownership of Orlando City SC and with over 15 Brazilian players in MLS, including Kaka, there is clearly an increased desire for MLS content in Brazil."