ESPN STAR kicks off S.League deal

ESPN STAR Sports has been announced as the official production partner for the 2012 Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League season in Singapore. The deal will see Asia's largest sports content provider produce 30 live games at the rate of one per week. The matches will be broadcast live on StarHub, which was named as the S.League's official broadcaster and sponsors of the League Cup. S.League CEO Lim Chin said: "I am pleased to welcome ESPN STAR Sports and StarHub to the S.League family. I am certain that both ESPN STAR Sports and StarHub will bring the league to the next level in terms of quality production and broadcasting, and that this will translate into an enhanced viewing experience for our fans and increased support for our league." The Jalan Besar Stadium will host the 26 league and 4 League Cup live clashes. Each live game will have a 15-minute preview show. ESPN STAR Sports senior VP Huw Bevan said: "We are delighted to work with the Football Association of Singapore as a partner to engage and entertain discerning football fans with our trademark top-class match presentation." ESPN STAR Sports has also been given the green light to produce and broadcast a 30-minute highlights programme, which will be shown across major STAR Sports networks every Monday. The highlights package will also be broadcast by StarHub, with Astro Arena beaming the show to Malaysia and Brunei. "For the first time in our history, the live telecast of our professional league matches and highlight shows will go beyond the shores of Singapore, said Lim Chin. "This will expand our geographical presence and will go a long way towards boosting the appeal of the S.League in Asia." The first live match is scheduled for Thursday when Gombak United take on Malaysian side Harimau Muda.