Prime Minister David Cameron and Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore
The British Prime Minister David Cameron hailed the Premier League as "one of Britain's great exports to the world" as he was accompanied on his trip to India by the Premier League's Chief Executive Richard Scudamore.
Scudamore was among the Prime Minister's trade delegation, along with several MPs, other business CEOs and university vice-chancellors, as they sought to encourage the development of relationships with British businesses overseas.
"We brought one of Britain's great exports to the world, Premier League Football"
David Cameron
"We brought one of Britain's great exports to the world, Premier League Football, which I think you take quite a close interest in India as well," said the Prime Minister. "So I see this relationship going so much wider - much, much further than simply business."
In addition to helping to fly the flag for British business overseas, the trip has helped Scudamore cement the Premier League's reputation for being one of the UK's most significant cultural exports as well as to reinforce important political relationships.
Scudamore is no stranger to UK trade delegations overseas, having previously travelled to India in 2010 as part of a LOCOG contingent and to reaffirm the Premier League's commitment to Magic Bus - a charity that gives Indian children from some of the poorest communities the to opportunity to play sports launch - and Malaysia and Indonesia on similar visits last year.
This trip also gave Scudamore the opportunity to meet with the Premier League's broadcast partner in India, Star. Star was recently awarded the exclusive rights to broadcast Barclays Premier League matches from seasons 2013 to 2016 and has plans to broadcast all those matches in HD format from next season.
Until now the Premier League's rights holder in the region has been ESPN Star, with whom all dealings had previously taken place via their headquarters in Singapore.
Since Star bought out ESPN from that partnership, the Premier League have had a direct relationship with the Indian company for the first time, which should serve to encourage an even better promotion of the Premier League in the region in the future.
