TVing operator CJ ENM named preferred bidder for KBO digital broadcast rights

CJ ENM has been selected as the preferred bidder for KBO wired and wireless broadcasting rights for 2024 to 2026, the Korean baseball league announced Monday.

The KBO said in an emailed statement Monday that it will now hold detailed negotiations with CJ ENM, with further details to be announced once the deal has been finalized.

The KBO opened bidding for the contract, which essentially covers all digital broadcast rights, from Dec. 4, 2023, to Jan. 3.

Alongside CJ ENM, three broadcasters including SPOTV and a consortium of portal websites Naver and Kakao alongside telecoms companies KT, LG Uplus and SK Broadband reportedly entered bids.

The consortium of telecoms and portal companies held the previous KBO wired and wireless broadcasting contract, from 2019 to 2023, which they won with a record 110-billion-won ($83-million) bid, the largest ever in Korean sports.

CJ ENM is the majority shareholder of Korean streaming service TVing.

The wired and wireless broadcasting rights deal is a domestic contract and will not impact international KBO viewers.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]