Pay-television broadcaster ESPN has renewed its exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland for the German Bundesliga for the next three seasons, from 2012-13 to 2014-15, in a deal with DFL Sports Enterprises, the league’s commercial arm.
ESPN will show live coverage of up to four matches per week from the league and will also screen action from the German SuperCup competition, plus highlights programming. Video-on demand will also be made available.
Jörg Daubitzer, the managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises, said: “We’re very pleased to continue our successful partnership with ESPN in the UK and Ireland. ESPN has been an excellent and most reliable partner for years, not only in the UK but in several parts of the world, among others in Brazil and the US.”
ESPN’s Jeroen Oerlemans commented: “The Bundesliga is a fantastic league that features some of the best football in Europe and we’re very pleased to continue our relationship with them for another three seasons.”
The deal suggests that ESPN is committed to the UK market in the long-term, despite losing key rights to the English Premier League after this coming season.