The English Premier League ended their deal with Chinese streaming service PPTV yesterday.
The league did not give a reason for the termination of the agreement after one season of a three-year contract.
British newspaper the Daily Mail reported last month that PPTV withheld a payment of 160 million (HK$1.64 billion) in rights fees that were due in March. That was when the Premier League suspended their season because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The league's contract with PPTV, which is owned by Chinese retail giant Suning, was one of their most lucrative internationally in the current three-year cycle through 2022, reportedly worth about 550 million.
The collapse of the deal could affect the finances of clubs who have already been hit by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Suning Holdings also has a controlling stake in Italian Serie A side Inter Milan.
The past Premier League season was also marked by political tensions with China.
In December, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV pulled a game between Arsenal and Manchester City from its program after Gunners midfielder Mesut Ozil expressed support for mainly Muslim Uygurs in Xinjiang.
Meanwhile, fans will be allowed to attend two Cambridge United matches next week that will be test events for the British government's pilot scheme for the return of spectators to elite sport, the English Football League said.
The two games will be played at the League Two side's Abbey Stadium.
In explaining their choice of Cambridge United, the EFL said that the club had previously been part of a joint project with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority that looked at the safe application of social distancing at football grounds.
