The incumbent rights-holders - Globo, Brazil's biggest media group, free-to-air broadcaster Esporte Interativo and pay-television operator ESPN - are understood to have tabled offers for the rights, which cover the seasons 2012-13 to 2014-15, according to TV Sports Markets. They will face stern competition from commercial broadcaster Rede Record, which was understood to be preparing a large bid to secure the rights.
Record is challenging Globo for the major sports properties but recently lost out for the rights to the Campeonato Serie A, the Brazilian national football league. That defeat means that Record has the budget available to land a knockout bid for the UEFA rights. Record held Champions League rights for the period 2006-07 to 2008-09.
In the current Champions League contract, Globo, Bandeirantes (through a sublicensing deal with Globo) and Esporte Interativo hold the free-to-air rights, while ESPN has the pay-television rights. ESPN also holds live and highlights rights for the Europa League, sublicensing a package of rights to the free-to-air broadcaster Rede TV!. The deals are being negotiated on behalf of European football's governing body, by the Team Marketing agency. For all the latest TV sports rights news visit www.tvsportsmarkets.com/news.
