RS aggressively continues gearing up for sports content business after announcing to be the right holder to broadcast all 3 consecutive seasons of the Spanish La Liga (2012 - 2015) and the 2014 FIFA World Cup exclusively in Thailand, aiming to win sports lover's heart with RS Sport La Liga, RS's latest satellite TV channel. It recently sets to launch program schedules overwhelmed with quality content throughout the seasons with an emphasis on the corporate image of the leading entertainment and sports content provider in Thailand.
Renaissance, Ratchaprasong — Mrs. Pornpan Techarungchaikul, Chief Operating Officer, RS Public Company Limited, discloses about the company's business direction this year that, "RS will be determined to build a perfect platform of sports content business in response to all lifestyles of sports lover nationwide to create entertainment and fun brought directly to consumers at home. We will use our strength as the country's largest owner and provider of entertainment and sports content to achieve with total marketing strategy.
For Spanish La Liga which will start its official season with the first match on August 18, 2012 at midnight, RS is completely ready to bring it to Thai football fans through RS Sport La Liga Channel which is determined to create local TV program with entertainment and fun together with Spanish football content only for Thai football fans. Besides broadcasting all the 380 matches in the season, the channel will provide good programs including international programs brought directly from overseas, for example, Game Yood Lok, Sood Kheed Ball Spain, La Liga World, La Liga Show and Highlight La Liga. There will be also local programs with the same concept of overseas programs like La Liga News, Inside La Liga, Khui Khang Sanam and Sen Tang Soo Champ, hosted by professional, new generation MC like Thanapat Duangjit, Yolnakan Kronnatavee, Shane - Thana Limpayaraya, Nina - Sutita Ruangronghirunya, Werapol Temchotikosol, Thachatawan Sriparn, Saroot Vituvinit and Chare Wiyada who will convey the stories of Spanish La Liga throughout the season. RS Sport La Liga will spend more than 1 billion baht for all 3 consecutive seasons. About 60% will be invested for contents including the purchase of the rights of overseas programs and the production on its own. About 30% will be spent for production and broadcast and the rest 10% for marketing budget. It expects to have a break even within the first season.
"RS's TV business comprises all 5 satellite TV channels and the production of TV programs for free TV channels. We expect our TV business will generate revenue of 750 million baht as target by the end of 2012 or a growth of 74% from last year. This will lead to TV business revenue's proportion accounting for 23% of RS Group. We are confident that RS will generate a total revenue of 3.2 billion baht as target definitely," Mr. Surachai adds.
Mrs. Pornpan Techarungchaikul, discloses that "RS's TV business group comprising Sabaidee TV, YOU Channel, Channel 8 and YAAK TV generated a leap growth in revenue in the first half of the year, the highest in the group, which accounted for 76% of the total revenue. We target revenue of 400 million baht from RS Sport La Liga which we regard as a sports business in the first season and will increase in the next seasons as the first season will take only 4 months this year and the rest 5 months will be revenue next year.
We will hold marketing events and activities like roadshows nationwide to build awareness of RS Sport La Liga and to have more coverage. RS Sport La Liga will drive sales of SUNBOX satellite TV receiver, distributed by the BIG 4, the distribution partners of satellite TV set and receiver nationwide. We target sales of 300,000 boxes in the first 4 months (July - October). Currently, we expect sales is around 200,000 boxes as the Spanish La Liga will open the season and start the first match on August 18 at midnight. Also, we have promotions to boost sales by joining with DTAC to offer special promotion with Free Watching!, Free Calls! and Free Internet Access!. Customers who buy a SUNBOX within October 31, 2012 and are DTAC customers or apply for DTAC will get free calls and Internet access worth 1,590 Baht by only registering at Call Center 1781. We estimate that before the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we will have sales of over 3 million boxes."
"We also have Thailand's giant conglomerate Thai Beverage Public Company Limited as the main sponsor of Spanish La Liga throughout the seasons. We target revenue of 120 - 150 million baht each season from sponsorship which we offer as a package which comprises TV commercial ads, roadshow events, outdoor live broadcast as well as total sales promotions. We believe that RS Sport La Liga will generate 400 million baht in revenue in the first season and between 100 - 150 million baht will be recorded in 2012," Mrs. Pornpan concludes.