Reduced Bundesliga deal points to new reality
June 22, 2020
Germany’s Bundesliga has accepted a lower price from broadcasters than its previous €4.6 billion deal, in a clear sign the market has weakened because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sky Deutschland and DAZN have split the domestic rights to show live matches from Germany’s top flight football league in the new deal.
From 2021 to 2025, DAZN will show every Friday and Sunday match in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As the exclusive broadcaster of games on two out of three days each week, DAZN will stream 106 matches per season.
The agreement is the largest package of major domestic football rights ever awarded to a streaming service in Europe. Highlights of every Bundesliga game shown live will also be available on the platform.
“This is a watershed moment in the growth and maturity of sport streaming services and the logical next step as we continue to invest in our most mature market and the future of sport”, said Simon Denyer, DAZN Group CEO. “The partnership with the DFL is transformational and underlines our long-term commitment to supporting our partners while bringing the best possible sport to fans in an affordable, accessible and flexible way.”
Meanwhile, Sky Deutschland will show 511 live Bundesliga matches per season across both leagues, with coverage throughout the whole weekend, from Friday to Sunday.
This deal is the first big sports contract to be sold since the pandemic forced the suspension of sporting fixtures. FT sources said the two broadcasters will pay slightly less than the €4.6 billion agreed by Sky and Eurosport at the 2016 auction – which was an 85 per cent rise on the preceding contract.
Bundesliga was the first league to restart in Europe and as a result it secured the “vast majority” of a €300 million payment that was held up from broadcasters in April. The league does remain in a dispute with Discovery-owned Eurosport about its existing broadcasting contract stemming from the impact of the pandemic.