Benfica has requested a review of its media-rights deal with Nos after claiming that the telecommunications company’s agreement with rival Portuguese football club Sporting is worth more.
Nos has suggested that an independent commission could be set up to review the value of the Benfica deal, according to the Jornal de Negocios newspaper.
In December 2015, Nos acquired rights for matches featuring Benfica in an initial three-season deal from 2016-17 to 2018-19 – an agreement that could be extended to a total of 10 seasons, until the end of the 2025-26 campaign. The deal was worth €400m ($424m) per season, with the figure increasing on an annual basis over the period. The deal covers domestic and international rights for Benfica’s home matches and includes distribution rights for the club’s in-house BTV channel.
Just days later, Nos acquired rights for Sporting home games for 10 seasons, from 2018-19 to 2027-28. Nos also secured distribution rights for the Sporting TV channel for 12 seasons, from 2017-18 to 2028-29. As part of the agreement, Nos became the main sponsor of Sporting for 12-and-a-half seasons, through to June 2028. The value of the deal was reportedly €515m, the club said.