THE CHINESE SUPER League (CSL) has recently caught the attention of football fans on this side of the world after a number of eye-watering transfers over the past year.
Relatively big names in the game such as Jackson Martinez (€38 million), Gervinho (€18m), Ramires (€29m), Graziano Pelle (€15m) and Hulk (€58m) have opted to make the move to Asia from Europe and collect astronomical sums of money each week.
It has been reported that Italian international Pelle has become the sixth-highest paid player in the world after joining Shandong Luneng from Southampton as gets €350,000 per-week.
And in the last January transfer window, China topped the Premier League (€151m) by splashing €247m on new acquisitions.
In light of those developments, Sky Sports has decided to jump on the bandwagon and agree a three-year deal for the rights to show live coverage of the CLS from this weekend.
The first game will be broadcast on Saturday, when Obafemi Martins’ Shanghai Greenland face Jiangsu Suning, who have Brazilian pair Ramires and Alex Teixeira on their books.
Then on Sunday, Shanghai SIPG, who are managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson, meet Guangzhou R&F.
“This is more great news for football fans as we get set for our biggest ever season on Sky Sports,” said Sky Sports head of football Gary Hughes.
“The Ping An Chinese Super League is attracting players from Europe and is creating a really exciting competition that will only add to an incredible line-up of live football on Sky Sports.”
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As if the Sky Spots subscription couldn’t get any better, they go and roll out this beauty! You’ve got Netball, Horse AND Water Polo, Badminton Super League, Horse Eventing, and now the Chinese Premiership? Where will it end in this Sporting Universe? The European Dodgeball Champions League?
In fairness the European Dodgeball league would be entertaining!!
They have live fishing aswell
Ahh lads, the pinnacle of Sky Sports broadcasting is Pro Kabaddi!! You won’t see action like that on any other channel!!
No, the pinnacle is the ridiculous Legends Indoor Football League they show every summer. Just a load of ex cloggers playing a game of slow five a side. The decision to go 24 hours with Sky Sports in 1995 was a joke.
Funny you mention dodgeball Dave :) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uWII-zlVZI4
And don’t forget the 5 D’s of Dodgeball – Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and …. Dodge!
Don’t forget Pro Karbaddi League in India
Are you on a 24 tape delay Ollie? :P
*24 hour*
I dream of a world where The Journal/The 42 has an edit button…
I’d rather watch MLS and that’s shíte
How do you know it’s shxte? You’ve never watched it!
Well you will have 2 good foreign players per team and 9 chinese lads , what ya think it will be??
As if we didn’t have enough money grabbing mercenaries getting air time,this Chinese league is the greatest circus of all
Sky Sports are a bigger shower of eejits for jumping on this ridiculous bandwagon.
Great spot to offload all those money grabbing rejects.
@Gerry
Be honest,you’d grab it yourself if you could.
Would of course
Ill I need is enough money to pay for family and tax and a little bit more and Ill be grand :)
Shanghai Greenland? Seriously?
Ho lee fuk!
The Chinese , great bunch of lads.. love a good kung po but can the play ball?
“Hulk and Gervinho”…doesn’t exactly get the heart racing, does it?
Joke of a league why did sky sports even bother get this. They should have took a punt at the league of ireland instead of that
The League of Ireland is crap.
Sky are probably getting paid by the Chinese to show the games as opposed to buying the rights. China seems hell bent on promoting their league.
Imagine an organisation being ‘hell bent’ on promoting and selling there own product!! The cheek of them.
Can’t wait boys
God you guys don’t understand sarcasm
If the time zone isn’t crazy different I might watch it.
Wouldn’t pick the boys in Fifa never mind watching them in real life