Taschin: “It’s not time to transfer everything to a paid subscription, there should be a lot of good football on Match TV”

On the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), General Producer of Match TV Alexander Taschin told Sport Day after Day that more top football matches should be shown on the federal channel in a difficult time for Russian sports.

– Anything can happen, but for now we proceed from the fact that at the end of the summer we will start showing European championships and European cups.

Can the Premier League return?

– Not yet. We communicate with colleagues from time to time. Our contract has not been broken, but, so to speak, frozen. As soon as possible, our contract will begin.

– Will Match TV show the European Football Championship in 2024?

– There are no agreements yet. Of course, as the main sports channel, we always want to show major world and European competitions. Football is a special sport for our channel. Some understanding will be closer to the tournament.

– Do you have any idea to teach fans to pay for good content in the RPL? Show more top matches only on the MATCH PREMIER channel?

— We do division of matches. We show a certain number on the federal channel. We have agreed on all this with our colleagues from the Russian Premier League.

It seems to me that now, in a difficult time for all of our sports, there should be a lot of good football on the free channel. Both the Russian Championship and the Russian Cup in a new format. It seems to me that it’s not time to transfer everything to a paid subscription.

– It used to be like this: in the first round, Zenit – Spartak are shown on Match TV, and in the second – only on MATCH PREMIER.

– It used to be like that, but we all understand that the matches of Zenit and Spartak are now the most popular Match TV among a large audience of TV viewers.

— 100 rubles paid and look.

“After all, a free screening will attract a much larger audience. It seems to me that now, when we are deprived of any international launches, it is important to give our viewers the top content that we have.

— There were many comparisons of the Champions League and Russian Cup finals. Many said: “Look how the Russian Cup final is organized. Almost better than in Europe. Do you have any figures for the views of these two matches?

– Mediascope data has arrived. About four million people – coverage for the Cup of Russia. The same figures for the Champions League.

I myself was at the Champions League final in Istanbul. And I can say that the level of organization is incomparable. In Russia, it was organized much higher and better. This is sincere and true, and not because we live in Russia. Colleagues from the RFU made a top event.

– Don’t you feel sorry that there was no extra time? Another 30 minutes of football.

– Agree. But such a regulation.

Gazprom-Media Holding is the general media partner of SPIEF 2023.

MIR RPL and FONBET meetings Transitional matches last season were broadcast on the channels of the Match family. The Match TV channel and the RFU also signed an agreement to show FONBET matches of the Russian Football Cup in the next two seasons and Olimpbet of the Russian Super Cup in 2023.