German pay-TV channel Sky Deutschland "signed advertisement deals with Bitburger, Volkswagen and Targobank with the intention to make the channel's German Cup broadcast more profitable," according to DIGITALFERNSEHEN.de. Marketing company Sky Media Network "was able to extend its contract with the Bitburger brewery, a Sky partner for the last five years, and acquire two new partners with automaker Volkswagen and financial institute Targobank for Sky's live broadcasts of the German Cup games." All three companies are also official partners of the German Cup competition (DIGITALFERNSEHEN.de, 8/16).
TOO MUCH FOOTBALL: German discus Gold Medalist Robert Harting "criticized the sports coverage of German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF." In the show "Beckmann" Harting said, "Billions are being spent, but a broad sports cultural education isn't provided anymore." ARD and ZDF are focusing too much on football. He continued: "Children have to be intrigued [by other sports], but they are not because the two public broadcasters only show football." ARD sports coordinator Alex Balkausky denied the accusations. Balkausky said, "Robert Harting seems to have watched the wrong program if he accuses ARD of only showing football." The amount of football coverage on ARD's overall sports coverage in '12 "is less than 30%" (SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, 8/17).
