March 25 – The suspension of Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 until at least April 30 has also had a knock on effect for its media rights tenders.
Germany’s Federal Cartel Office had given the DFL the go-ahead for the submitted marketing concept for the tender of its rights last Friday, but the league has decided to push the planned tender back.
“Instead of the originally intended date in May, an allocation is planned from this June onwards,” said a DFL statement.
Crucial to the tender is understanding the shape of what future seasons could look like if schedules are rolled forward by the coronavirus crisis. However, the DFL recognises that the media rights are crucial to the funding of the game and that for the this to happen the current season needs to close. This could likely mean completing the season behind closed doors.
“Given that some clubs are facing a potentially existence threatening situation and because of the responsibility for an industry with 56,000 direct and indirect employees, the Ordinary Assembly on 16 March unanimously reiterated the objective of wanting to end the season by 30 June, so far as legally permissible as well as, of course, justifiable from a public health perspective,” said the DFL statement.
“In this regard, the DFL is currently working intensively on concepts to play matches at their assigned time – given the current situation – also without stadium spectators and with a minimum workforce in the areas of sport, general organization and media. In contrast to amateur and mass sports or other leisure events, only staff working in the stadium as part of an employment would be present on site.”
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