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The allocation of Bundesliga TV rights is becoming increasingly complex. Sky and DAZN are fighting a tough battle, but everything could be different in 2024.
Munich – The era in which football fans could watch all Bundesliga games with just one subscription is long gone. The allocation of television rights for Bundesliga matches has become increasingly complicated and increasingly frustrating for supporters in recent years. Sky and DAZN are the main competitors in this competition, but the upcoming rights award in 2024 could bring a turning point.
Awarding of the television rights for the Bundesliga: Clear statements from the Sky boss
Charly Classen, head of sports at Sky, told the news portal derwesten.de, that the situation could actually improve for the fans. He is of the opinion that the German Football League (DFL) has noticed the fans’ dissatisfaction and is now planning to optimize the viewing experience for the audience in front of the screens. This could mean that one provider could theoretically acquire all rights and broadcast all games again, which would make the experience much easier for fans.
The Bundesliga’s current TV rights allocation is causing frustration among fans. © Wolfgang Frank / Eibner press photo / Imago Images
Alice Mascia, the head of DAZN in Germany, was recently more reserved: She emphasized that while DAZN is committed to retaining the Bundesliga rights, it will make an economic decision, not an emotional one. Mascia made this statement to the industry magazine Spouses.
The competition between Sky and DAZN
Sky and DAZN are in tough competition for the Bundesliga rights. Both companies present fans with various offers. Traditionally, Sky has broadcast most of the Bundesliga games, while DAZN has made a name for itself in recent years primarily by broadcasting the Bundesliga games on Friday and Sunday.
DAZN has already surpassed Sky in the German-speaking market in terms of the Champions League. With the exception of a Tuesday game that will be shown on Amazon Prime Video, DAZN will broadcast all games. This dominance in the Champions League could also extend to the Bundesliga should DAZN decide to aggressively compete for the Bundesliga rights. However, given the statements made by DAZN Germany boss Mascia, this seems rather unlikely. According to the news portal, DAZN is currently paying sportbuzzer.de around 300 million euros per year for the live rights of the Bundesliga.
Bundesliga on television: What changes do fans expect?
The fans are feeling the biggest impact of the changes. The rising costs and growing complexity of the subscription situation have caused anger among many fans. The DFL has recognized this problem and is reportedly planning to improve the situation.
Eliminating the No Single Buyer Rule could be one way forward by allowing one service provider to broadcast all games and simplify the fan experience. It is still uncertain what consequences the upcoming award of broadcasting rights will have for the Bundesliga and its supporters.
Both providers, Sky and DAZN, have signaled their interest in the rights, but who will ultimately win the contract is still up in the air. (tu)
Machine assistance was used for this article written by the editorial team. The article was carefully checked by editor Marius Epp before publication.
2023-12-07 04:22:46
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