Champions/Europa League Rights

[thegeek]

The First Round of bidding for UEFACL UEFAEL and UEFAECL rights in the UK (and France) for the 2024-2027 Cycle closed this morning (29 Jun 2022). All sorts of stories again circulating including a move to streaming only. We should know by the Weekend if the winner is known at the first round stage.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see a move elsewhere, the protracted WBD - BT discussions happening at 'the wrong time' for this award.

Broadcast are reporting that Amazon may have the prime (sorry) rights, potentially sharing with BT:
https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcast...11.article

[BcastCornwall]

Amazon’s Prime Video is reportedly close to sealing the rights to the men’s Champions League in the UK.

Bloomberg reports that the streaming platform is close to signing a deal to share the rights with a number of broadcasters, including BT Sport. The agreement will also include the men’s Europa League and Europa Conference League. BT Sport has shown all of these competitions in the UK since 2015.

The women’s Champions League is currently shown by DAZN, and for free on YouTube across the UK and Europe.

The three-year contract will apparently be at a 20% increase on the current deal, which is for €1.4 billion (£1.2 billion). This could take the rights cycle to around €1.7 billion (£1.45 billion).

[RhysJR]

Amazon set to share Champions / Europa / Conference Leagues with BT Sport

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...f=Xka7aNox

Interesting to see a reported 20% increase in the value of the rights when the new format will surely be less engaging for most of the 'group' stages. But then again, there will be more matches and in likely more English teams playing so looks like UEFA have got what they wanted.

Will be interesting to see what Amazon would get. In Germany, Amazon have exclusive first pick on Tuesday nights in the current cycle (and the same on Wednesday in Italy) but don't cover the final in either market.

[Brekkie]

Is the final protected in those markets, as it really should be here, well certainly if a UK team features.

I agree though the new group stage is going to ruin something that has worked so well for so long. They should have gone for 4 groups of 9 (playing 4 home, 4 away). That gives the same number of matches but is so much easier to follow.

It's going to be the same with the World Cup too in 2026 with the expansion to 48 teams and a format which will likely keep the top 16 seeds apart until the round of 16, meaning the big clashes don't occur until the 65th match onwards, whilst in the current format you're likely to get 8 of those clashes in the group stages.

[BcastCornwall]

Amazon - BT deal all but confirmed to me a few mins ago. Expecting Announcement(s) between 2100 tonight and 0800 tomorrow, after Wall St closes tonight and before London next opens.

[Brekkie]

More money for the football fan to cough up then.

[RhysJR]

More money for the football fan to cough up then.

The natural conclusion of any new rights deal it seems. Unless one simulcasts all the matches the other shows.

Saying that, Amazon Prime is quite widely available all ready (stats below). I like to think of it in a way as a bridge between FTA coverage and pay sports packages like Sky and BT as it's cheaper and widely used without the sport section.

https://twitter.com/SBienkowski/status/1...7345759234


Accounting for who Amazon use on Premier League coverage, a good chance we go back to 2005 with Gabby Logan hosting a Champions League final again (and Clive Tyldesley on commentary).

[Newshound47]

More money for the football fan to cough up then.

The natural conclusion of any new rights deal it seems. Unless one simulcasts all the matches the other shows.

Saying that, Amazon Prime is quite widely available all ready (stats below). I like to think of it in a way as a bridge between FTA coverage and pay sports packages like Sky and BT as it's cheaper and widely used without the sport section.

https://twitter.com/SBienkowski/status/1...7345759234


Accounting for who Amazon use on Premier League coverage, a good chance we go back to 2005 with Gabby Logan hosting a Champions League final again (and Clive Tyldesley on commentary).

I’m not sure Tyldesley will be Amazon’s first choice. Come 2024.

Amazon prime is good value (particularly compared to the high fees Sky charges and the lack of ability to lower the cost by only subscribing for specific sports) so I hope it doesn’t start increasing too much in price

[RhysJR]

The Times reporting that the Champions League will have FTA highlights on the BBC. Much needed for the relevance of the competition.

https://twitter.com/martynziegler/status...8922470401

[Brekkie]

Sounds like Amazon have got the equivalent of what used to be the free to air rights on ITV.

The BBC getting highlights is a surprise.

[TIGHazard]

Sounds like Amazon have got the equivalent of what used to be the free to air rights on ITV.

The BBC getting highlights is a surprise.

Guess we're going to see the ad free intro then (the one that is used on the video games)

[Brekkie]

Sounds like Amazon have got the equivalent of what used to be the free to air rights on ITV.

The BBC getting highlights is a surprise.

Guess we're going to see the ad free intro then (the one that is used on the video games)

They'll probably insert a #BBC100(and 2) promo in instead.

[BcastCornwall]

Guardian claiming BT paying the same as last time, losing one game per match day to AZPV, but as a result of the increased number of matches in the new format of the UEFA CL getting more games as a whole. Retains whole coverage of UEFA EL and UEFA ECL. The BBC Highlights is fascinating though and would seem to be an enabler for them to handle any FTA coverage of the final. We'll see.

Still nothing from AZ or BT despite the details emerging this evening.

[thegeek]

The Times story says Amazon will have first pick on the Tuesday live match, and BBC will have highlights on a Wednesday.

[Transmission]

BT's announcement:

https://www.bt.com/sport/football/champi...nouncement

Nothing released by Amazon yet as far as I can see.