The sports TV broadcaster DAZN has won the legal battle against the German Football League. Now the largest Bundesliga TV package must be re-awarded.
The auction for the largest TV rights package in the Bundesliga must be repeated. With this ruling by the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), the paid internet broadcaster DAZN has won a legal victory in its dispute with the German Football League.
However, DAZN now has to enter into another poker game with Sky for the rights. The dispute was sparked by the awarding of the largest package with the games on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and on Friday evening as well as the relegation matches.
“DAZN is pleased that the court has ruled in our favor,” said a spokesperson for the global company. “We remain convinced that DAZN is the best partner for the DFL, for the clubs and for German football fans.”
DAZN appealed to arbitration
The company had called in the DIS in the dispute with the DFL. After fierce attacks and mutual accusations, the aim was to bring about a legal clarification in the dispute over the Bundesliga’s TV rights – this has now been achieved with the seemingly Solomonic solution. The auction for the other rights has been suspended since mid-April and is now due to start again shortly.
The arbitration award has the effect of a legally binding judgment between the parties. DIS decisions can only be challenged in ordinary courts due to formal violations. The DFL had previously stated that, in the interests of speedy procedural and legal certainty, it expected “that all parties involved accept an arbitration award as final and conclusive”. This now appears to be the case.
Sky: Take note of decision
“We take note of the arbitration tribunal’s decision,” Sky said. “We are very well positioned for the award of media rights and are confident that we can continue to offer our viewers the best Bundesliga experience and remain the leading sports provider.” Sky secured the rights at the first attempt, but now has to start bidding again.
DAZN and DFL argued about the first day of the auction and about a bank guarantee. The dispute broke out after the DFL awarded TV rights package B for the 2025/26 to 2028/29 seasons to the pay-TV provider Sky, according to dpa information. Competitor DAZN claimed that the DFL had rejected its significantly better offer because a bank guarantee required at short notice could not be obtained within a day.
Dispute is about 196 games
The DFL says it awarded the disputed package legally. The league association said DAZN’s offers were not in line with the tender. The disputed rights package B includes a total of 196 live games per season. The other live games are included in the pay-TV packages C with the top games on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and the Supercup, and D with the Sunday games. In total, that’s 113 live games.
Filing a complaint with the arbitration court is a step that is provided for in the DFL’s tender documents in the event of a dispute and has been accepted by all bidders. When registering for the auction of the audiovisual media rights for the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, DAZN also committed to turning to the DIS in the event of legal disputes.
Source: Stern
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