Intellectual asset management company Consor has emerged as a surprise contender for the rights to Argentinian domestic football after submitting an offer that is reportedly higher than those already on the table.
Consor’s offer is worth $336m (€313m) per year – 80 per cent more than the offer from media company Fox and 69 per cent more than a joint bid from media companies Turner and ESPN.
Consor’s bid is for five years of domestic and international rights to the Argentinian Football Association’s competitions.
The rights would cover television, online and mobile platforms.
According to Argentinian newspaper La Nacion, Turner-ESPN is likely to return with a higher bid.
In January the country’s football clubs approved a settlement offer by the government to dissolve the Fútbol para Todos platform ahead of a tender for the rights.
Under FPT, the government paid to ensure the top-tier Primera División was shown on free-to-air television. The FPT contract was due to run until September 1, 2019, but has been cancelled by the government.