“We cannot sustain these levels of spending anymore for sport rights” urges Cosmote TV exec

Dimitris Michalakis

“We cannot sustain these levels of spending anymore for sport rights” urged Dimitris Michalakis, executive director Cosmote TV and Member of the OTE Group Management 

During a Deutsche Telekom keynote session at the New Europe Market (NEM) today in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Michalakis said rising costs for sports rights is “not making any money for anybody.”

He explained the sports market is becoming increasingly more expensive because of growing competition, with streamers also joining the fight for sports rights.

According to the exec, “its all about a matter of demand, how much you want it, and how much demand you have in this market” when acquiring sports rights.

Cosmote TV currently has the rights the Saudi Pro League, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

He said, “I think that now that there is a plateau which is good for many variables..but how do we come to a point that where it is a win win situation for everyone.”

During his keynote session, Michalakis further noted not including the FAST market that “linear television is no longer relevant” and “linear TV is dying”.

He explained audiences want to watch sports, movies, series, and documentaries which can now be found on-demand services, which has seen a rising decline of linear TV viewing.

The exec added, “This is something that we have to work out with our partners, how we can still have meaningful form of linear channels on our platform, in order to try and see how we can both get more out of on-demand content.”

“The big challenge for us going forward is how can we learn to position ourselves in the increasing expensive content space.”