South Korean Broadcaster Drops National Football Team Match Rights
Declining viewership and internal turmoil force a shift in national football broadcasting strategy.
1Broadcasting Rights Abandoned
TV Chosun, the primary broadcaster for South Korean national football matches since 2022, has officially notified the Korea Football Association of its decision to drop coverage for the upcoming November matches. This unexpected move leaves the association scrambling to secure alternative broadcast arrangements for the two scheduled away games in Qatar.
2Shift to Terrestrial Networks
Due to the universal viewing rights mandate requiring 75% of households to access national team matches, the Korea Football Association has engaged the three major terrestrial networks to cover the games. Unlike the previous exclusive contract, the association will not receive broadcasting rights revenue from these networks for the November matches.
3Plummeting Viewer Interest
The commercial value of national team matches has declined sharply as public interest wanes. Ratings dropped from 9.4% during the October 2023 Tunisia match to a mere 3.2% for the September 2024 Ecuador match. A May 2024 match against Trinidad and Tobago recorded an even lower viewership of just 1.5%.
4Underlying Causes of Decline
Industry experts attribute the loss of interest to poor on-field performance and internal conflicts within the national team squad. These factors have significantly diminished the appeal of football as a premium sports content product, leading broadcasters to question the high costs associated with producing and airing these specific international matches.
5Financial Viability Concerns
TV Chosun had previously expressed concerns regarding the cost-to-value ratio of the matches, even requesting a reduction in the number of games earlier this year. The broadcaster likely concluded that abandoning the rights was a more fiscally responsible decision than continuing to invest in content that fails to generate sufficient advertising revenue.
6Association Leadership Crisis
The Korea Football Association is currently struggling to manage major issues, including contract renegotiations, following the resignation of former president Chung Mong-gyu. This leadership vacuum has hindered the organization's ability to respond effectively to the broadcasting crisis, leaving them in a precarious position as they navigate these complex media rights challenges.
7Impact of Match Timing
The upcoming matches against Saudi Arabia and Qatar are scheduled for late-night hours, which further complicates the viewership outlook. Broadcasters anticipated that these unfavorable time slots would result in even lower ratings, reinforcing the decision to avoid the financial burden of production costs associated with live sports broadcasting in this climate.
8Future of Media Rights
The current situation suggests that the long-term contract signed between TV Chosun and the association for 2025 may face significant instability. As the popularity of the national team continues to fluctuate, the association must find a sustainable model to maintain the broadcast of matches while addressing the underlying decline in fan engagement.
Original article: Kyunghyang — South Korean Broadcaster Drops National Football Team Match Rights