Let’s talk about the World Cup broadcasting rights again.
From the current situation, FIFA seems to be only negotiating with CCTV. If this continues, it essentially means that if a deal is reached, Chinese fans will be able to watch the World Cup live; if not, they won’t.
I may not be an expert, but I wonder if there are any technical or other obstacles here. However, I can say for sure that China has been developing a market economy since 1978. Over the past 48 years, the level of openness has increased, and reforms have deepened. Monopolies are certainly not allowed, and the State Administration for Market Regulation frequently cracks down on monopolistic practices across various industries.
So, I’m puzzled: FIFA, are you being foolish? If you can’t reach a deal with CCTV, China has dozens of provincial satellite TV stations. Why not approach them? Besides those, there are also powerful streaming platforms like Tencent Video and iQiyi. You could easily negotiate with any of them and solve the problem. Why insist on hanging everything on one tree?
Reports suggest CCTV’s budget might be between $60 million and $80 million. Perhaps a provincial TV station or Tencent Video would be willing to offer $800 million. If an auction were held, Pony Ma might even raise the bid to $1 billion in a moment of excitement.
The World Cup is a quadrennial event, so allowing foreign capital to cooperate with provincial broadcasters or streaming platforms wouldn’t hurt. I even have a malicious thought: let foreign capital pay, let Chinese people enjoy the exciting sports programs, and then the foreign investors lose money and leave in frustration. After this World Cup, FIFA would never dare or be embarrassed to ask for high prices again. China may not have a team in this tournament, but we could still win off the pitch. It’s thrilling just to think about.
Dear Comrade Gianni Infantino (President of FIFA), does this advice sound like a revelation?
A VIP who joins on May 13—will they receive a World Cup gift?
Finally, time is running out. FIFA needs to act quickly.
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