Football Bundesliga wants to broadcast games themselves-Diepresse.com

The Austrian Bundesliga is serious about the recycling of media rights. From summer 2026, if the contract with rights holder Sky If you have expired, you want to approach the football users via your own platform. The league clubs made this decision in a club conference on Tuesday. In our view, the current offers of bidders « do not reflect the positive development of the league, » said CEO Christian Ebenbauer.

The Bundesliga has been promoting corresponding plans for around « one and a half years », as Ebenbauer from the Austria Press Agency said. An profitability analysis showed that a “Direct to Consumer” model was the best. So you want to approach the end customers via a platform where the league games should be shown live. The Bundesliga should become a media company – probably through its own company, probably together with partners. In this way, more money should be left in the end.

« It is undisputed that capital is necessary »

The details are still largely open, numerous questions are still to be clarified. First of all, it was important to clarify the legal and financial framework. « It is simply the implementation. What we have finished on paper now has to be brought to life, » said Ebenbauer. « By the end of the year we want to tell our fans where and how the Bundesliga will be shown in summer 2026. » A model is the Dutch league, which started a similar process in 2008 with the establishment of its own media company. The eredivisia is one of the few leagues that « currently have increasing revenue when you take into account the past few years ».

In June, the business plan is to be discussed with the clubs in another club conference. Talks with potential investors take place at the same time. « It is undisputed that capital is necessary, » said Ebenbauer. High costs would initially be incurred, especially for technology and personnel, where massively would have to be upgraded. It is not planned that the clubs are shooting money.

With providers continue in exchange

The door for the way via a classic rights deal is not yet officially closed. The tender for the new period from 2026 is still upright and is not withdrawn. « We are in an exchange with all bidders and also with our current and long -standing partner in a very open, transparent exchange. The fact that the views are going apart is currently so, » said Ebenbauer.

In addition, free TV, second or re-evaluation rights would also be offered in the case of a Bundesliga marketing. « One does not exclude the other. » To do this, you could work with established providers on the market – as well as in the technical infrastructure, even if that is « currently not comprised by our business plan ». « But that is also a living document and a ‘work in progress’, » emphasized Ebenbauer.

In any case, objective reporting will not be lost, the league boss calmmed and referred to the DFLthat produces the worldwide TV base signal for all games in the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga in Germany through a daughter. « I think the reporting there is quite normal and also critical or something as it should be for objective reporting. » The fact that you want to bring your own product to the front and represent it well is « sensible and correct, » emphasized Ebenbauer. (APA)