Portuguese Liga club Benfica should consider launching its own channel as an alternative to selling its broadcast rights to an agency, according to Luís Mergulhão, the chief executive of advertising group Omnicom’s Portugal division.
“Any channel that starts off with the rights of Benfica games would have a great potential for attracting audiences,” Mergulhão told the Record news website.
Earlier this week Benfica rejected an offer of €111 million ($149 million) over five seasons, from 2013-14 to 2017-18, to renew a media rights deal with the Olivedesportos agency.
“The Olivedesportos proposal is a good one,” Mergulhão added. “When the [negotiations] process becomes more advanced, it will be done in great secrecy. I believe the statement [from Benfica, rejecting the offer] is just another step in the negotiation process.”