Youku, a Chinese streaming site owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba, has won Chinese digital streaming rights to the 2018 World Cup, according to media reports.
The site entered into a partnership with state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), China’s exclusive World Cup broadcaster, according to Caixin Global, a Beijing-based media site. Youku is the second online platform to win rights from CCTV to livestream the month-long tournament, and will share rights with state-owned China Mobile’s Migu Video.
The extension of the digital rights beyond just CCTV’s digital platform, CNTV, marks a break from the historical norm, where national broadcasters once held tightly to exclusivity.