Bundesliga
DFL auction stop: What this means for clubs and fans
The DFL stopped the TV rights auction. photo
© Andreas Gora/dpa
The stop to the TV rights auction is surprising. There is no longer long-term planning security for clubs and broadcasters. Many questions remain.
And that just a few weeks after the controversial investor process ended. The legal disputes could be lengthy. It is not yet clear what consequences this could have for the 36 clubs, the TV channels and the fans.
Does the auction stop have any short-term consequences for TV viewers?
That is not to be expected. The current contracts will still apply until the end of the coming 2024/25 season. This means that DAZN will continue to show the Friday game and the Sunday games of the Bundesliga until June next year. The pay TV channel Sky will broadcast the afternoon games and the top game in the evening as well as the conference on Saturday.
What long-term effects can the stop have for football fans?
This is difficult to predict. An example scenario: If DAZN withdraws completely from the application process, Sky could be the big winner. According to dpa information, the pay provider certainly already has rights package B. This is the largest and most valuable and contains a total of 196 games. It includes the games on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and on Friday evening as well as the relegation games.
If Sky also prevails with packages C (top games on Saturday at 6.30 p.m.) and D (Sunday games) due to a lack of competition, fans would only need a subscription, unlike now. This would become possible after the cartel office deleted the so-called “no single buyer rule”. This stated that not one single pay-TV provider was allowed to buy all the live rights, but at least two had to be involved.
Could more games come to free TV now?
The tender currently provides for nine of 617 games per season on free-to-air television for the period 2025/26 to 2028/29. Package E contains three first division games, one second division game, the relegation with four matches and the Supercup. There is no provision for a free TV provider to buy pay rights. Only package D with the Sunday games includes the option to broadcast live games on free TV.
What consequences could the auction stop have for the 36 professional clubs?
Long-term financial planning is difficult. After all, TV money usually makes up the largest share of the club’s budget. The clubs will receive a total of around one billion euros per season from the current contract. At least this amount was also targeted for the new contract.
How much money there will be from July 2025 will now remain open for some time. Long-term projects and especially long-term contracts with players are difficult to plan if the restart of the auction drags on for months. This could have an impact as early as the summer transfer period and could possibly harm the clubs’ international competitiveness.
How will the dispute between the DFL and DAZN continue?
The relationship of trust is shaken. The tone of the DAZN letter and the DFL statement makes it clear that the relationship is broken. It is difficult to imagine DAZN getting together with the current DFL management and vice versa. DAZN is the second largest TV donor in the league after Sky. It will probably result in clarification by the arbitration tribunal, as provided for in the agreements. How long this will take remains completely unclear.