Greek public-service broadcaster ERT yesterday (Wednesday) finalised a deal for non-exclusive rights for Formula One motor-racing for the next two seasons, 2013 and 2014, with the Asset Ogilvy agency.
ERT will broadcast all races live except for the five Asia-Pacific region races that have early-morning start times in Greece, which will be shown delayed-in-full. The delayed coverage will be at 2pm Central European Time. ERT will also show a pre-race show and highlights of qualifying sessions. The broadcaster will show coverage in high definition.
Greek pay-television broadcaster OTE has rights to show all races, qualifying and practice sessions live under a deal with Asset Ogilvy running to the end of 2014.
Asset Ogilvy distributes the rights in Greece under a deal with Formula One Management, the series’ commercial rights-holder.
The ERT deal had been reported in the Greek press three weeks ago, but the broadcaster’s board of directors only signed it off yesterday. The recent resignation of ERT’s managing director is understood to have delayed the signing.
Several local media sources, including news website Contra.gr, reported the value of the deal at €2.85 million ($3.7 million), with ERT paying €250,000 in cash and giving Asset Ogilvy €2.6 million worth of advertising airtime. Autoblog.gr reported that commercial broadcaster Alpha had offered close to €2.5 million for the rights.