DFL unveils details of football rights packages

The German football league, the DFL, has unveiled details of the rights packages on offer from the 2013-14 Bundesliga football season.

Cable, satellite and terrestrial rights are to be bundled together as a single broadcast package. Potential bidder Deutsche Telekom had hoped for separation of the satellite rights, which it is likely to seek, from cable rights.

The DFL also plans to offer two separate sets of IP rights – Netcast I, covering IPTV, and Netcast II, covering over-the-top web and mobile TV rights.

The DFL is keeping open the possibility of awarding rights to a web sports show rather than allocating exclusive free TV coverage to public broadcaster current ARD’s Saturday evening show.

Bidding will take place in two stages. The DFL has set a reserve price for live rights that it will not make public. If multiple bidders exceed the reserve for the same set of rights, the bidding will go to a second round.