German Football League Says Sky's New App May Breach Axel Springer's Rights

The German Football League (DFL) "questions the new Sky Sport News HD app launched by German pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland," according TELECOMPAPER. The DFL said in a press statement that "it has some questions about the app as Sky Deutschland does not have rights to stream live matches or goals for mobile (online) devices." The app "could breach the exclusive rights for online streaming of goals/match videos one hour after the end of the matches" that are owned by German publishing company Axel Springer Verlag, owner of the BILD newspaper (TELECOMPAPER, 8/5). DIGITALFERNSEHEN reported Sky CEO Brian Sullivan "is confident that the issue concerning Axel Springer and the DFL will be resolved." Sullivan said that the new app is "absolutely legitimate." Sullivan added that Sky's new app for tablets and smartphones "is not meant to compete with the fee-based BildPlus Bundeliga app" from Axel Springer. Sullivan: "The apps are completely different" (DIGITALFERNSEHEN, 8/6).