TF1 threatens Kirch soccer plans
Eurosport may vie for TV rights
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Eurosport VP Jacques Raynaud has reportedly begun discussions with German league the DFL.
Kirch’s Sirius SportMedia last year pacted with the DFL to market local Bundesliga broadcast rights in Germany, subject to the approval of the antitrust watchdog. The problem for Kirch is that Eurosport is carried free on cable in Germany.
Eurosport execs have downplayed the significance of the bid.
“In Germany, like in other big European markets, there’s plenty of room for two sports channels, maybe even more,” said Raynaud. “Eurosport and DSF are not competitors. We complement each other.”
In any event, the DFL’s asking price could prove too rich for the French group.
According to German financial newspaper Handelsblatt, Eurosport is hoping to pay between E16 million ($25 million) and $31 million for the foreign rights, while the DFL is said to be asking some $46.5 million for the 2009-10 season.
The DFL is counting on German soccer’s growing popularity worldwide to increase TV rights revenue. Eurosport is a logical choice -- it has pay TV channels in the U.K., France, Italy, Spain and Scandinavia plus Eastern Europe and Asia.
In Germany, pay TV platform Premiere has objected to Kirch’s plan to produce and sell ready-to-air Bundesliga soccer programs to domestic broadcasters and cablers that can’t produce their own coverage.
