German public-service broadcaster ARD is coming under pressure to opt against renewing a rights deal with the Sauerland boxing agency.
The current deal, worth €13m ($18m) per year, is due to expire at the end of 2014.
According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper, other regional public-service broadcasters, including WDR, have been critical of the cost of the rights deal.
Last year, WDR called for greater transparency in ARD’s acquisition of sports rights as one of a number of recommendations made in a report by the regional public-service’s broadcasting council.
Reports have claimed that the original deal with Sauerland was due to run until the end of 2015, but has been reduced in length due to external pressure on ARD.