Roger Hampel
After a long-standing tenure with "CANAL+ SPORT" as the primary broadcaster, Ekstraklasa, Poland’s premier football league, is set to make a triumphant return to open television following pivotal breakthroughs in negotiations.
The previous agreement, which allowed Telewizja Polska (TVP) to showcase one match per game week under a sub-license, was only valid until the culmination of the preceding seasons. A new contract hadn’t been inked, leaving the broadcast future of the matches hanging in the balance.
However, the tides appear to be turning. Recent negotiations, especially those hastened over the past few weeks, indicate a shift towards the signing of new contracts. A pivotal moment occurred in mid-September during a meeting at the TVP headquarters, where a plethora of key stakeholders, including TVP’s president Mateusz Matyszkowicz and directors from TVP Sport and CANAL+, alongside representatives from Ekstraklasa, convened to discuss the future of the football league's broadcast.
Insights from "Przegląd Sportowy" suggest that the discussions, characterized by a softening stance from CANAL+ and additional financial input from TVP, have paved the way towards a potential agreement, visible as a light at the end of the negotiation tunnel.
Polish Ekstraklasa
The ultimate deal between CANAL+ and TVP is expected to span four seasons, with the public broadcaster shelling out 25-30 million PLN per season. Furthermore, TVP's logo is slated to grace the players' kits, correlating with another multimillion payment to Ekstraklasa.
Viewers of TVP Sport can anticipate watching one Ekstraklasa match per game week, with the station selecting from two of the most appealing matches in a given series of games. Moreover, to make up for game weeks at the season's start where no matches were showcased, TVP Sport may broadcast two matches during certain weekends this season.
In an expansion of their sports coverage, TVP is also on track to acquire three-year broadcasting rights for other national competitions, including I and II leagues, the Polish Cup and Supercup, Women's Ekstraliga, and youth national teams.
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