<p>German <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a> fans are not happy about a recent deal for the German Football League (DFL) to sell a piece of their TV and marketing rights. The Bundesliga and the rest of the German federation were <a href="https://theathletic.com/5128459/2023/12/11/bundesliga-investment-tv-rights-vote/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">selling 8% of these rights</a> as a private equity investment. The deal will last for up to 20 years.</p>



<p>The German top flight and second-tiered divisions shot down a similar move back in May. However, a new revised package passed by a single vote. Deals such as these have to first be approved by at least two-thirds of the clubs. There are 36 teams currently in these two leagues. This means that 24 clubs have to vote yes for a measure to pass. Precisely 24 teams approved the motion.</p>



<p>According to German <a href="https://twitter.com/RaeComm/status/1734254358336766215" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journalists</a>, the DFL is hoping to get over $1 billion in quick payments from the deal. A large chunk of these investments, about $650 million, would be set aside for video content, streaming, and overseas marketing. The remaining money is thought to be distributed directly to the clubs. This is likely to include organizing future international tours.</p>



<h2>Official fan groups call for organized protests during games</h2>



<p>As a result of the contentious agreement, fan organizations are planning a protest. These groups are calling for 12 minutes of collective silence during upcoming matches. Freelance journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/matt_4d/status/1735623099624612346" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matt Ford</a> translated the group’s statement released on Friday.</p>



<p>“The result of the DFL general meeting represents a bursting of a dam for the Bundesliga,” proclaimed the fan organization. “Little remains of the oft-cited humility of professional football from during the pandemic. Instead, in a thoroughly untransparent process, dodgy club representatives have chosen the path of money. Unsurprisingly, particularly dubious investors now have a foot in the door.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231215_WST_477455_Bayern-Dortmund-1200x675_a6166e86.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-477611" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/12/Bayern-Dortmund-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/12/Bayern-Dortmund-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/12/Bayern-Dortmund-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/12/Bayern-Dortmund.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>“A contract over two decades will open Pandora’s box and not rule out the arrival of further investors. On the contrary, you can be sure that the unbridled greed for profit will not dwindle with times.”</p>



<p>“We consider an investor deal to be a fundamental attack on the people’s game in Germany. We will pool our collective resources in a battle against greed and despotism. The executives can still stop this calamitous investor project. We will keep them firmly in our sights.”</p>



<h2>Premier League dwarfs Bundesliga media rights</h2>



<p>The next round of domestic Bundesliga media rights negotiations comes in the middle of 2024. This next deal will include exclusivity to broadcast German matches for the next four years. The upcoming package starts ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. It runs until the conclusion of 2028/29. Bundesliga officials believe the aforementioned $1 billion deal in private equity investment will finish before this timeframe.</p>



<p>International Bundesliga media rights are currently around $218 million. This figure is drastically lower than the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a>. The English top flight currently rakes in over $2 billion from foreign rights alone. The deal between DFL and the outside investors is an attempt to close this gap and help boost Bundesliga’s future growth. </p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

German fans to protest against DFL's private equity investment

Soccer fan groups in Germany are organizing a collective protest against a deal to send Bundesliga rights to a private equity investor.


<p>ESPN holds the English and Spanish TV rights in the United States to the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a> through the 2025/26 season. The historic six-year deal streams every game in the German top flight on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/channels/espn-plus-soccer-schedule/">ESPN+</a>. Then, there are select games available on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. ESPN wants to continue this deal beyond the 2025/26 campaign.</p>



<p>ESPN senior vice-president of programming Tim Bunnell reaffirmed the provider’s commitment to the league to media. He believes ESPN and its streaming of the league will go long beyond the two years after the current campaign.</p>



<p>“We are in this for the long term,” Bunnell <a href="https://www.sportcal.com/media/renewal-on-the-cards-as-espn-and-bundesliga-seek-to-make-up-for-lost-time/?cf-view" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>. “We haven’t engaged in renewal talks, but I expect to. There’s a lot to look forward to in our future.” Bunnell says the deal with ESPN got off to a slow start because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first season of the Bundesliga deal was the 2020/21 campaign. Of course, that started in the middle of September as opposed to early August.</p>



<p>“We have two years to go and have a lot of development to do still,” Bunnell said. “We got a late start with Covid, and we had to pause out of the gate. Contracts begin and end but we’re looking at this as a much longer-term relationship and we’re just getting started.”</p>



<p>It helps that the Bundesliga is also on board for development with ESPN. Peer Naubert, chief marketing officer of Bundesliga International, wants Bundesliga clubs to build their presence in the United States. The ESPN deal can help in that regard.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="ARCHIE RHIND-TUTT INTERVIEW: #Bundesliga master interviewer 🇩🇪" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-IVmxN8cWc4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p>“We’re 100% agreed and we would like to ask the clubs to do even more in the US and be more active and come more often so that we can build upon this and grow together in the US as much as we can.”</p>



<h2>ESPN may battle other providers for Bundesliga rights</h2>



<p>However, ESPN is not the only provider or channel interested in acquiring the Bundesliga rights. Apple has made it clear that it wants to take its live soccer coverage into Europe. The provider for Major League Soccer is wrapping up its first season of streaming on MLS Season Pass. That is a global deal for Major League Soccer. Its next step could be to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/apple-in-talks-with-bundesliga-about-media-rights-sources-say-20230713-WST-442893.html">look at the Bundesliga</a>.</p>



<p>Originally, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/bundesliga-and-espn-paved-the-way-for-mls-apple-deal-20230119-WST-416051.html">Apple took inspiration from ESPN</a> because ESPN locked in the Bundesliga as a streaming-only deal. A few years later, Apple purchased the MLS rights to be exclusive to streaming. </p>



<p>
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<p>The Bundesliga has proven that a streaming-only model can be successful for global broadcast rights. For example, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/manuelveth/2023/06/26/bundesliga-dazn-secures-rights-in-canada-until-the-end-of-202526-season/?sh=235c22f1517b" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DAZN</a>, a streaming service, locked in the Bundesliga rights in Canada through 2026. That deal sets up another interesting possibility where Apple may take Bundesliga streaming rights globally.</p>



<h2>Apple and ESPN may have to pay more</h2>



<p>Currently, ESPN is paying $30 million per season for the Bundesliga streaming and broadcast rights in the United States. With rights going up in price, that fee should rise. Plus, if Apple does take on the other international rights to assemble a global connection, it will of course be more expensive. </p>



<p></p><table class="table5" style="border: 5px solid red;">
<tbody>
<tr class="table5" style="width:100%">
<td style="width:70%">
<center><h4>Our Pick:</h4>
Includes: Every regular season game, MLS Cup Playoffs, Leagues Cup, &amp; More</center>
</td>
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<center><a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=wst_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l35s4&amp;ct=rvo" target="blank" rel="noopener"><figure class="image"><img src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231108_WST_468118_MLSSPRVO.webp&amp;width=200&amp;height=100" alt="MLS Season Pass" width="200" height="100"></figure></a></center></td>
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<p>The latest United States Men’s National Team squad called up players from five teams. That may be a driving point for the Bundesliga rights in the United States. It certainly helped to drive interest in Canada with Alphonso Davies playing for Bayern Munich.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Kirchner-Media</em></p>


ESPN wants to renew Bundesliga media rights deal in USA

ESPN holds the English and Spanish TV rights in the United States to the Bundesliga through the 2025/26 season.

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German fans to protest against DFL's private equity investment

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ESPN wants to renew Bundesliga media rights deal in USA