Football
Features
PAOK pins hopes on OTT platform despite revenue falling short of broadcast offer
Greek club PAOK will continue to broadcast home matches on its PAOK TV OTT platform despite the service generating 25 per cent less revenue than pay-television broadcaster Nova’s offer for the team’s rights.
Sky antitrust victory opens way for internet bids, but contracts could be overturned
Sky Italia’s victory this month in its challenge to the restrictions placed on its rights acquisitions by the country’s antitrust authority was comprehensive but not definitive.
Malaysian football rights values come back down to earth as Telekom returns
The value of the Malaysia Football League’s domestic media and sponsorship rights have dropped significantly in the latest deal with Telekom Malaysia after two previous rights rounds of inflated valuations and, ultimately, collapsed deals.
Bundesliga moves on from past Nordic problems with Nent fee boost
Germany’s Bundesliga has secured an increase in the value of its media rights in the Nordics in its renewal with Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group. This follows the hit it took in the region after the collapse of its previous deal with the now defunct MP & Silva agency.
Pitch sees clear path to WSL football international rights deal
Agency Pitch International did not face serious competition in the English FA’s tender for international Women’s Super League media rights, SportBusiness Media understands.
Streamlined Copa del Rey rights process tempts ESPN Brasil into three-year deal
With Copa del Rey rights now available in one package, ESPN Brasil was comfortable agreeing a three-season deal for a competition that has historically been a tough sell in the territory.
FREE | The Role of Agencies in the Media Market Report, 2020
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Media analyses the role of agencies in the media-rights market globally.
The Role of Agencies in the Media Market Report, 2020
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Media analyses the role of agencies in the media-rights market globally.
Uefa closes Euro 2020 sub-Saharan Africa rights round with TVMS fee increase
Uefa secured a 40-per-cent headline increase on the value of its sub-Saharan Africa free-to-air European Championship package in a third successive deal with the TV Media Sport agency.
Serie A delays domestic tender to April to allow clearer market landscape to emerge
Italy’s Lega Serie A will launch a tender in April for its domestic media rights for the three seasons from 2021-22 to 2023-24, SportBusiness Media understands. The delay opens space for the resolution of several outstanding issues that have, so far, complicated the process.
Nent’s colossal Premier League deal shakes up Nordic market
Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group’s monster six-season English Premier League deal signed this month has shocked the Nordic media market and left TV2 in Norway reeling.
TVI pins hopes on Euro 2020 sublicense to regain viewership
Portuguese commercial broadcaster TVI’s acquisition of free-to-air rights to this summer’s Euro 2020 competition was driven by its desire to regain its status as Portugal’s most-watched terrestrial channel, SportBusiness Media understands.
Uefa raises lower-tier club rights income more than 40% in German RTL deal
Uefa has increased the value of its lower-tier club competition media rights in Germany by over 40 per cent through commercial broadcaster RTL’s acquisition of exclusive, multi-platform rights to the Europa League and newly created Europa Conference League.
Uefa continues to grow club competition income in Austria & Switzerland
Uefa has continued its success in the DACH region by more than doubling the value of its club competition rights in Austria and significantly increasing them in Switzerland.
K-League closes on deal, but national-team rights still unsold in Korea
The Korea Football Association is finalising a deal with pay-television broadcaster JTBC for domestic K-League media rights for the 2020-23 cycle, but men’s senior national-team matches remain on the market after a lacklustre response to a tender held in January.
CJ ENM’s re-emergence fails to help DDMC Fortis avert AFC fee fall in Korea
CJ ENM’s step back into sport after a near-decade-long hiatus was not enough to save DDMC Fortis from a fee decline in its sale of Asian Football Confederation rights in South Korea for the 2021-24 cycle.
ESPN continues football spending spree with Copa del Rey acquisition
US sports broadcaster ESPN has reaffirmed its strategic commitment to football by paying a substantial sum for exclusive rights to the Spanish Copa del Rey knock-out competition.
Middle East and Africa market report, 2020
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Media analyses the media-rights landscape in the Middle East and Africa.
DAZN pays high price to break into Spanish football with Copa del Rey sublicense
DAZN’s determination to add domestic football to its portfolio of rights in Spain led the OTT platform to pay Mediaset a Copa del Rey sublicensing fee that covers entirely what the latter spent on the rights just three months ago.
Europa League value falls in France in wake of Champions League frenzy
Uefa’s Europa League revenue in France will fall in the 2021-24 cycle given limited interest in the property in the wake of the fierce contest for rights to the top-tier Champions League.
FA Cup rights take a dip in Sub-Saharan Africa as StarTimes replaces SuperSport
StarTimes, the Chinese-owned African pay-television broadcaster, was able to exploit regulatory pressure facing rival broadcaster SuperSport and secure exclusive rights to the English FA Cup and Community Shield at a reduced fee.
Premier League goes early in Nordics and opens up option of premium six-season deal
The English Premier League has launched the first international media-rights tender of its new sales cycle, going early in the Nordics and offering up the opportunity to bid for six seasons – the first time it has done so in Europe.
Belgian clubs can exploit near-live clips on their own platforms in radical Pro League tender
Belgian Pro League clubs will be able to exploit near-live clips on their own digital subscription platforms in the next rights cycle: the first time European clubs have been able to do so without long hold-back periods.
Unsuccessful initial tender raises questions over K-League’s domestic media strategy
Korea’s K-League and the Korean Football Association have pooled their media rights, but an initial tender attracted no firm bids, forcing the rights-holders to extend the deadline and change the tender’s terms to allow consortia to participate.