Yle Sport has reached a new deal to retain broadcasting rights for the toughest European football competition, the UEFA Champions League. The deal means the national broadcaster will retain the primary right to broadcast matches. Jari Litmanen will continue as Yle Sport’s resident expert.
The current contract expires in June, with the Champions League Final in Berlin. The new agreement will begin with the Super Cup match in Tbilisi in August 2015.
“In December we had to forsake the pursuit of further rights, when the competitive pricing was becoming unhealthy,” says Yle Sports chief Panu Pokkinen. “Now, in the spring however, the holder of the rights wanted to return to the negotiating table with us and we reached an agreement rapidly.”
Back by popular demand...
The extension of the contract is in line with popular demand from sports fans, according to Yle’s Executive Director Lauri Kivinen, who adds that it important that this kind of sports content is freely available to all Finnish viewers.
The current season will be shown as planned on Yle TV2 and Yle’s online serice, Areena. Future seasons’ matches will be transmitted live, as usual, during prime time on Yle’sTV2.
Yle has broadcast the Champions League free-to-air since 1992, when the league was established. At their peak, the broadcasts are watched by over half a million viewers.