The Irish Bar in Tashkent
Bars, restaurants, and cafes in Uzbekistan say they are being forced to pay a US$1,000 fee for permission to show matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which began in Brazil on June 12, according to a report on AIB Member RFE/RL.
Owners of bars and restaurants in Uzbekistan say that they were instructed by the National Television and Radio Company (MTRK) to first sign contracts with the company that will allow them to legally show the matches to their customers. The bar owners say the MTRK threatened to impose fines if they do not comply. An official of the MTRK who wished to remain anonymous confirmed the information to RFE/RL on June 11.
The charges follow an immense hike in the TV rights fees charged to Central Asian broadcasters for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2010, the five Central Asia republics paid a total of around US$150,000 for the rights. This year, a Turkish company secured the rights for a figure believed to be around US$5m.