EuroLeague Basketball awarded streaming service DAZN exclusive broadcasting rights for the league in Spain. DAZN will be the home to the EuroLeague from the '19-20 season through the '22-23 season. DAZN was also awarded the rights to broadcast live matches and clips for the next four seasons of the EuroCup. EuroLeague President & CEO Jordi Bertomeu said, "DAZN's revolutionary platform matches the innovation DNA of EuroLeague Basketball, bringing the digital reach of our competitions to new heights and allowing us to grow our Spanish audience." This deal follows DAZN’s announcement earlier this month that it will launch in Spain in '19, offering access to MotoGP and the English Premier League (EuroLeague). In Madrid, Robert Álvarez reported Movistar currently holds the Spanish rights to the EuroLeague (EL PAÍS, 11/27). PALCO23's M.M.A. reported DAZN "is once again demonstrating it has the intention of being a relevant player in Spain." The economic terms of DAZN's deal with the EuroLeague were not revealed, but Movistar owner Telefónica paid more than €10M ($11.3M) for the Spanish EuroLeague rights for the '18-19 season. The deal with DAZN means broadcasts on the league's platform, EuroLeague TV, will no longer be available in Spain (PALCO23, 11/27).
MAKING IT OFFICIAL: MARCA reported the EuroLeague made it official that starting next season, there will be 18 teams in the competition, up from the current 16. One will be French club Asvel, which is owned by French NBA Charlotte Hornets guard Tony Parker. Asvel will become "the first French club to participate in the EuroLeague under the new competition format." The other addition will be Bayern Munich, which previously "had to win its national league or the EuroCup to secure its participation in the EuroLeague" (MARCA, 11/27).
