The domestic tender process for rights to Russian football’s top-tier league, the Rosgosstrakh Championship of Russia, has passed without a single bid.
Rights for the 2009-10 season, which are being sublicensed by direct-to-home satellite NTV-Plus, received no bids from any Russian national TV channel, according to NTV-Plus’ general director Dmitry Samokhin.
NTV-Plus acquired live rights to the league from 2007-10. Following political pressure in 2007 from then Russian president Vladimir Putin, NTV-Plus was ordered to sublicense the rights to ensure free-to-air coverage of the league despite the exclusivity outlined in its four-year deal.
Samokhin added that NTV-Plus plans to continue negotiations with potential partners or to hold a second tender.
