Macau-based M Plus Sports Media Company Limited estimates that sports broadcast rights costs have risen by around 10 percent, adding pressure on operators serving the city’s relatively small audience.
“Broadcast rights generally become more expensive, with increases of around 10 percent,” Alan Yung, vice-president of strategic partnerships at M Plus, told AGB. “Rights prices are rising around the world, but the pressure is greater in Macau.”
Yung noted that Macau has a population of just over 600,000, while some residents live across the border and are not in the city during late-night broadcast hours. This further limits the potential audience for overseas sporting events.
His comments came as M Plus announced a three-season agreement for the exclusive Macau broadcast rights to Japan’s J.League from 2026 to 2029.
The J.League said M Plus would show four matches per matchweek during the 2026/27 season. Matches will be available live and on demand through the M Plus app and its dedicated channels, with English commentary and Cantonese commentary for selected broadcasts.
M Plus will also carry the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, LaLiga, Australian A-League and Scottish Premiership during the 2026/27 season, alongside competitions organized by the Asian Football Confederation.
The broadcaster has a longstanding relationship with Macau Slot, the city’s only licensed sports betting operator. Yung previously told AGB that around 90 percent of M Plus viewers were involved in sports betting, although M Plus does not operate betting services.
In the latest interview, Yung said changes in the betting market had not materially affected viewing demand, as both bettors and other sports fans continued to watch matches.
M Plus also announced that it had become the official media partner of the Macau Slot Basketball Team. The partnership covers social media promotion, content sharing and access to exclusive team information.
