Nyon, Switzerland – The UEFA has announced that CCTV or China Central Television, mainland China’s predominant television broadcaster, will be awarded the exclusive media rights for Live Euro 2012 games and the Euro Cup in China.

As included in the package deal between the two international giants, CCTV will be able to broadcast a total of amount of 27 Live Euro 2012 matches on public television in the Chinese mainland. An estimated total of 360 million Chinese households will be able to view the games along with a countless number of support programmes that are created for the purpose of building up to the tournament itself that will be held in Poland and Ukraine as well as the daily highlights for every match.

This has not been the first venture between the UEFA and CCTV. The business partnership was first signed off in 2008 and the results were very successful for the two companies, establishing a strong and loyal football following in China and re-establishing the UEFA as a world player that has also signed deals with the rest of Asia and Oceania just recently.

Commenting on the signing of the business agreement, the UEFA representative said, "We are very excited to renew our relationship with CCTV following our successful partnership in 2008 and we will be looking forward to working with them once again to bring all the excitement of the UEFA EURO 2012 tournament to the football fans in China."

Mainland China in itself is a huge market especially for sports franchises like the UEFA. It’s fast developing economy has resulted in consumers’ developing a voracious appetite for all things western such as watching sports and purchasing it’s related product and it’s huge population triples the potential.