The Pro League, the top division of club football in Belgium, has said it has received offers from 10 interested parties for its next set of broadcast rights.
The tender for rights from the 2017-18 season was sent out on February 8. It covers rights to all Pro League matches and the Super Cup, in the Dutch and French languages. Rights are split into six sets of packages.
The deadline for offers was March 15 and the Pro League said its Ad Hoc Committee, which is chaired by Pro League chief executive Pierre François and includes representatives from the league and the MP & Silva agency, will now study the bids.
The Committee will enter into individual talks with the bidders and, if necessary, the league said it will open a second bidding round.
International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports Network and telecommunications firm Orange are reportedly among the bidders. Belgian newspaper De Tijd last week reported that Eleven and Orange were both in contention for rights following the closure of the bidding window on March 15.
Current rights holders – pay-television operators Proximus, Telenet and Voo – are also said to have lodged bids. The league is said to be keen for a final decision to be reached on April 24, the date of its next club meeting.
MP & Silva advises the Pro League on the sale of all media rights in a six-season deal, running from 2014-15 to 2019-20.