Europe’s top clubs are aiming to earn at least €5 billion from the sale of television rights to Champions League, Europa League and Conference League games in the next cycle, potentially sealing a 10 per cent increase on their current value.
The first media rights tenders for the period covering 2027 to 2033 will be launched this month. In a ground-breaking move, one game in each match week could be streamed globally by the same provider, which would have the first pick from that round of games.
It leaves open the possibility that Disney or Netflix could screen Champions League games.
Champions League clubs take home about 75 per cent of rights earnings, which stand at €3.3 billion across the current cycle. The rights for Europe’s five major markets – England, France, Italy, Germany and Spain – will go to tender at once, leaving open the opportunity for one broadcaster to purchase them for all five countries rather than them being sold piecemeal.
RM Block
It will be the first major challenge for UC3, the joint venture created between Uefa and European Football Clubs. The latter was known as the European Club Association until a glitzy relaunch at its general assembly in Italy this week. Relevent Sports, the American events promoter, was appointed this year as UC3’s global marketing and sales partner.
On Wednesday, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin addressed delegates in Rome and, without referring explicitly to the rights tenders, acknowledged the need to innovate in broadcast deals. “Together we are building something unique with ambition, to deliver the most engaging football, the most innovative and the most accessible, to expand our core revenue streams,” he said.
“To inspire new fans to follow our competitions, to drive engagement with new audiences, especially in an ever-changing media and streaming rights landscape, and to make the most of digital platforms and bring the game closer together forever. This is how we will keep European football at the very top.”
– Guardian
