After two postponements due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, Thai League 1 finally kicked off last Sept. 02 but called under a new brand “Revo Thai League.” The top flight league still enjoys the major sponsorship of Motor Thailand, and the rebranding merely signals a new era for domestic leagues.
Somyot Poompunmuang the president of The Football Association of Thailand announced beforehand in a virtual conference that games will be telecast live on PPTV and Channel 5, as well as streamed live in smartphone platforms by AIS Play online.
Moreover, the football clubs will have to start the new 2021-2022 season by playing behind closed doors, with temas located in the high risk areas marked as dark-red provinces will have to play their home games in other stadiums for safety reasons.
The FAT president also announced that the new era also means lifting the standards of Thai football by requiring all football clubs in each league, to have proper licences. The football clubs emerging as winners of the Thai League 1 and the FA Cup will automatically earns spots in the AFC Champions League group stage. The teams completing the T1 league as 2nd and 3ed place finishers will automatically qualify for the ACL play-offs.
Another important aspect of the new era in Thai League 1 is that Thai football fans will be able to find and access information about the football clubs, their players and other related statistical information,.
Thai League 1 Taps Opta to Collect Data on FCs, Players and Related Stats
Korrawee Pritsananantakul, the CEO of Thai League said they have tapped the services of Opta in collecting statistical data related to the performances of the football clubs and their players. Opta is a UK-based company engaged in the filed of sports analytics, whilst providing sports data to leagues, sports betting websites and game broadcasters in more that 70 countries across the globe.
That of course is the most welcome change that Thai football fans will definitely embrace. Mainly because part of their enjoyment in watching not only domestic but also international football competitions, is having a stake on the team they predict as likely to win. Despite the country’s ban on sports betting and other forms of gambling, except for lottery and horse racing, football betting is very much a great part of the Thai sports entertainment.
Besides, the choices of เว็บพนันออนไลน์ ถูกกฎหมาย (online gambling) sites that offer sports betting products have increased as there are now Asia based bookmakers that offer local payment options in Thai baht and via local providers of financial services.
Currently, although defending T1 Champion iBG Pathum is the favorite to win, so far the team is in the 10th position, by having earned only 1 point from a draw result.
Nongbua Pitchaya, Ratchaburi Mitr Phol and Bangkok United are at top three, having earned 3 points each or 1 win each. Nongbua Pitchaya, being the winner of Thai Football League 2 has been promoted to T1 along with second and third placers Chiangmai United and Khon Kaen United.