Rambler Group has secured exclusive broadcasting rights for the English Premier League in Russia for three seasons starting 2019-20.
In a statement, it says that the main platform for content distribution wil be the OTT service Okko, which is part of Rambler Group. It will feature a special paid-for section named Okko.Sport that will appear on smart TVs and in iOS/Android and web applications. In addition, a special section on the Premier League will appear on the leading Russian sports site Championat.com, which is also part of the Rambler Group.
Commenting on the development, Ivanko Grodetsky, Okko’s DG, said: “The development strategy of the Okko online cinema provides for the constant expansion of the library of content that is of the greatest interest to users. The variety and quality of content is one of the main advantages of the service along with its manufacturability. Obtaining exclusive rights to broadcast the Premier League matches marks the beginning of a new large-scale direction, Okko Sport, which, I am sure, will allow us to gain the greater loyalty of existing users, as well as attract new ones”.
Premier League executive director Richard Masters added: “We are pleased to welcome the Rambler Group as a new partner in Russia, starting from the season 2019-20. The group has exciting plans to make the product available on several platforms, and we look forward to working with them as they demonstrate our competition to Premier League fans throughout Russia”.