March 29 – The pandemic-accelerated march towards digital media taking over from traditional broadcast linear channels and established pay-TV platforms took another big step at the end of last week with sports streaming service DAZN taking the bulk of Serie A rights and German regulators granting a licence to broadcast the Champions League in Germany to Amazon.
The DAZN deal with Serie A is for the next three seasons starting with the 2021-22 season and ending in 2023-24.
The contract is for €2.55 billion over the term or about €850 million per season for exclusive rights to seven out of 10 fixtures in each round of the league season.
Italian telecoms operator TIM make up about €1 billion of the DAZN figure, contributing €340 million per season. DAZN will broadcast via its over-the-top (OTT) subscription platform and its branded linear network carried by TIM and Vodafone.
The three of ten unallocated matches per round will be the subject of further negotiation with Sky who reportedly had offered €2.25 billion for the seven match per round package won by DAZN.
Sky is currently the main broadcast partner of Serie A with DAZN picking up the secondary package in domestic deals worth €973 million annually. Serie A had targeted €1.1 billion for its new deal.
With roles now reversed and DAZN as the main domestic partner, Sky is favourite to pick up the secondary and on a pro rate calculation matching what DAZN has paid for the main package, Serie A could still make its target figure.
Germans deliver Amazon
Amazon have been granted a German broadcast licence for its Prime Video subscription streaming service enabling it to broadcast the Champions League rights it holds for the 2021/22 to 2023/24 rights cycle.
Amazon agreed a €90 million fee in December 2019 for the first pick Tuesday evening match in the German market.
DAZN is the lead broadcaster of the Champions League in Germany from next season, having first-pick match on Wednesday evenings and the remaining live matches in a deal worth €315 million per season. Public service broadcaster ZDF has rights to the final, as well as highlights coverage.
Christoph Schneider, managing director of Amazon Digital Germany, said: “This creates legal certainty for the transmission of live sporting events on Amazon Prime Video. Prime customers in Germany, as a first step, will be able to watch the live broadcasts of the top Uefa Champions League match on Tuesday from autumn onwards.”
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