German pay-TV channel Sky Deutschland "has reached an agreement with UEFA to extend its Champions League broadcast rights until '18," according to the FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG. The new three-year deal, which "encompasses the seasons '15-16 through '17-18, includes 146 live game broadcasts per season." Sky "did not reveal any financial details of the deal." The costs have been estimated at around €50M ($68.6M) per season and "are expected to be higher during the new rights period." The situation regarding German free-TV rights "remains open." German public broadcaster ZDF holds the free-TV Champions League rights until '15, and the negotiations for a new contract "have not yet been completed." ZDF Sports Dir Dieter Gruschwitz said, "The talks are still ongoing, UEFA negotiates pay TV and free-TV contracts separately" (FAZ, 12/9). REUTERS' Harro ten Wolde reported last month, Rupert Murdoch's other European pay-TV group, BSkyB, lost the Champions League football rights to BT, "sparking fears it may have to pay more for future content deals, including the next Premier League auction which is expected to be held in 2015 for the three seasons from 2016" (REUTERS, 12/9).
AUSTRIA: The KURIER reported Austrian public broadcaster ORF "has secured the free-to-air Champions League TV rights for three years starting with the '15-16 season." The Champions League "currently airs on private TV channel Puls 4 in Austria." ORF "did not reveal any financial details of the deal." However, ORF General Dir Alexander Wrabetz said that the rights costs have been "economically justifiable." ORF "will show one live game per match week on Wednesday nights." ORF Finance Dir Richard Grasl said, "With the acquisition of the Champions League, we have managed to secure a top-notch program for Wednesday nights on our main channel ORF eins." The channel currently shows UEFA Europa League games through the end of the '14-15 season (KURIER, 12/9).
