TV Globo facing World Cup challenge
March 5, 2012
By Chris Forrester
Latino broadcasting giant TV Globo says it has secured the exclusive TV rights for the FIFA World Cup for Brazil. The rights, which cover the Russia and Qatari events, include pay-TV, free-to-air, web and cellular distribution.
However, there may be legal action ahead from arch-rival TV Record, which has the 2014 ‘rights’ and has now stated that it is “absolutely surprised” that Globo has secured the rights without any sort of public competition, and is arguing that FIFA’s promised “clear and open” bidding prcess for this most soccer-mad of all nations has not been followed. TV Record says it will resort to law to guarantee its rights.
The dispute could prove messy given that FIFA has had a relationship with TV Globo since 1970.