Look At Vietnam – The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) has sold broadcast rights for the first half of the upcoming V-League national football season for VND1.5 billion (US$86,000).

Viet Nam Digital Television Corporation (VTC) paid VND350 million ($20,000) for its share of the broadcast rights. VTV Cable Channel 3 will show the remaining matches as a result of a VND300 million ($17,000) agreement with VFF.

The agreements include provisions for VFF and its sponsors to take 50 per cent of the money for each game broadcast. The two participating teams will share the rest, with the host team to take 35 per cent and the visiting team the remaining 15 per cent.

According to an official source from VFF, the fees for broadcast rights has increased 1.5 time over the same period last year.

The increase in copyright fees is the result of Viet Nam’s victory at the ASEAN Football Championship, AFF Cup last December when they beat Thailand 3-2 in a two-part final in Ha Noi and Bangkok.

Last year, the national men’s team - the main revenue-earner for VFF - secured a five-year sponsorship from Nike, the worldwide sportswear company, worth about US$5 million.

Executive board vice chairman of the Viet Nam Football Development Joint Stock Company, VFF’s sports marketer, Tran Duc An, said that V-League now faces the challenge of turning its trademark into gold.

The V-League began its season last Saturday and will finish on August 23. They have also had sponsorship from PetroVietnam Gas for the third straight year.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News