In Scandinavia, the Modern Times Group-owned networks TV3 and Viasat have beaten off extensive competition to retain the rights for a further three years while in Ireland the coverage will be shared between TV3 Ireland and RTE. The new contract begins at the start of the 2003/04 season running through to the end of 2005/06.
MTG secured the rights following an extensive bidding process during which a consortium led by the Telenor-owned Canal Digital pay-TV platform and a group of free-to-air broadcasters pushed the existing rights holders all the way.
TV3 and Viasat were awarded the rights having best satisfied the evaluation criteria in respect of each package and each Scandinavian country (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) on an individual basis.
This decision means that all matches throughout the season will be broadcast in all three countries, with the top four matches per week shown on free-to-air broadcaster TV3, and all other matches shown on the Viasat pay-TV channel.
in the Republic of Ireland, commercial free-to-air network, TV3 Ireland was awarded the rights to its choice of two matches on a Tuesday evening, to be broadcast live and immediately delayed, plus a highlights programme on Tuesday. The channel may show the final delayed.
RTE, the national state broadcaster in the Republic of Ireland was awarded the rights to its choice of two matches on a Wednesday evening, to be broadcast live and immediately delayed, plus a highlights programme on Wednesday. RTE’s Wednesday rights also include the live final.
UEFA and TEAM stated that there was interest in a pay-TV rights package in Ireland but that they had decided not to finalise any other arrangements at this stage to allow further negotiation with the interested parties.
These latest Champions League deals follow on from TEAM's recent successes having agreed new deals in the UK, Greece and the Netherlands.
TEAM Marketing has signed off two further TV rights deals for the next Champions League contract in Scandinavia and the Republic of Ireland.
