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ESPN STAR Sports Brings Sensational ABL Experience to Malaysian Fans
Sports content provider to expand ASEAN Basketball League access across Asia
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]alaysians can look forward to a sensational season of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), with an expanded partnership with ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) that marks the start of “ABL Friday Basketball” on the ESS network. This new partnership is in line with plans to bolster ABL coverage in the upcoming 2013 season that tips off in January, as well as a new commercial agreement.
In addition to the LIVE broadcast on television (ESPN & STAR Sports), the matches will be available across multiple platforms including online (ESPN Player) and mobile (Mobile ESPN). ESPN STAR Sports will also work with the ABL on its broadcast coverage with enhanced on-air graphics for a superior fan experience.
Said Peter Hutton, ESPN STAR Sports’ Managing Director: “We see prime time Friday night basketball as a powerful tool to further popularize the ABL. We’re very impressed with the league’s willingness to help us jointly grow the sport”.
Said Anthony L. Macri, ABL CEO: “The ABL has grown from strength to strength since its first year to become a highly-anticipated entertainment event in the sports calendar today. With stadium attendances rising substantially across the region and increasing buzz on our social media platforms, this is a perfect partnership with ESPN STAR Sports to increasing the ABL’s profile in the region and making the games more accessible for fans.”
“It is encouraging to have a dedicated and renowned partner in ESPN STAR Sports who shares our ambition to elevate regional basketball across South-East Asia. Fans who have followed the evolution of the sport on ESPN STAR Sports will have many more great moments to catch in the coming seasons with their top-class coverage and commitment to take the sport to greater heights.”
Basketball fans can also look forward to additional programming on ESPN STAR Sports in the upcoming season that includes the weekly show ‘ABL Crossover’, a magazine style program which includes entertaining off-court segments with a lifestyle spin as well as game highlights, news and interviews with ABL personalities across the region. The ABL will also enjoy additional news coverage on SportsCenter, Score Tonight and on the 24-hour sports news channel, ESPNEWS thus keeping basketball fans updated on the latest news, views and results.
ESPN STAR Sports will also work with the ABL to further build upon its promotional efforts through ESS’ on-air networks, digital media assets including regional ESPNSTAR.COM and dedicated sites ESPNSTAR.MY and ESPNSTAR.ID in Malaysia and Indonesia respectively. The partnership also includes social media campaigns that raise engagement levels with basketball fans across Asia.
The ABL tips off its fourth season on 11 January 2013 featuring a rematch of last year’s final between the San Miguel Beerman and the defending champion Indonesia Warriors. Please visit espnstar.com for broadcast schedules and www.ASEANBasketballLeague.com for more information about the ABL.
* Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia. Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
About the ASEAN Basketball League
The ASEAN Basketball League is the first and only regional professional sports league in Southeast Asia. A men’s basketball league with six teams competing across six countries, the ABL will be starting its fourth season in January 2013. Founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Erick Thohir, it is sanctioned by the South East Asian Basketball Association (SEABA). The ABL is committed to the development of basketball both on and off the court. Marketed as a sports and lifestyle property, the league is incorporated in Singapore with operations based in Jakarta, Indonesia. For more information please visit the ABL’s official website at http://www.ASEANBasketballLeague.com/.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AseanBasketballLeague
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ABLNews
About ESPN STAR Sports
As Asia’s biggest sports content provider, ESPN STAR Sports(ESS) delivers a wide array of premier international, regional and local sports events and programming across multiple platforms, each localized to deliver differentiated programming to meet diverse needs of Asian sports fans. With an aim to engage and entertain sports fans anytime, anyplace and through any device, ESS offers a comprehensive portfolio of multimedia assets including television networks (ESPN, STAR Sports, STAR Cricket, FOX Football Channel, ESPNEWS, ESPN HD, STAR Cricket HD), broadband network (ESPN Player), digital content services (espnstar.com, mobileESPN), and on-ground business unit (Event Management Group).
ESPN STAR Sports is a wholly-owned subsidiary of News Corporation.
