Suning kicking off new coverage of EPL

Suning subsidiary PP Sports has pledged to deliver an "original and interactive" experience as it prepares to begin its live online coverage of the English Premier League.

In 2016, the digital broadcaster obtained exclusive online rights for EPL matches on the Chinese mainland and in Macao in a three-year deal reportedly worth around $700 million－the league's most lucrative contract outside of the UK－starting from the 2019-20 season.

The new campaign kicks off on Aug 9, when last season's runner-up Liverpool hosts newly promoted Norwich City at Anfield.

At a media conference in Shanghai last Friday, PP Sports said it is pulling out all the stops to enhance its coverage. It will use a state-of-the-art broadcasting system and is establishing news bureaus in London, Manchester and Liverpool.

"Apart from providing the original flavor of the English Premier League, we want to offer more," said Ao Ming, a deputy CEO of Suning's soccer department.

"How to attract more fans to watch the games here is the core issue for us. Our focus includes the live-broadcast technology, in-house productions, fan communities and the benefits for subscribers."

Suning's sporting interests extend beyond broadcasting, with the retail giant the majority owner of Italian soccer club Inter Milan and an outright owner of Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning.

Its portfolio of soccer broadcasting rights includes both the Asian and European Champions League competitions, Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, Germany's Bundesliga and the CSL.

"We've been studying our users in recent years, and it's obvious that sports have become a lifestyle", said Sun Weimin, deputy CEO of Suning.

"The premium memberships of PP Sports exceed six million. We want to use high-quality content to attract more users, and we will continue our investment in the sports sector."