Brazilian sports broadcaster Esporte Interativo has confirmed it has made a substantial offer to secure the pay-television rights to Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, the top division of Brazilian football.
In a statement, EI said it is in negotiations with clubs and has made an offer that is nine-times greater in value than Serie A’s current pay-television rights contract.
The Globo media group currently has the pay-television and free-to-air Serie A rights through to the 2018 season of the league. The new contract will reportedly run over a four-season term from 2019 to 2022, with Globo also in contention to extend its rights.
EI has pledged to broadcast a minimum number of games featuring each of the 20 Serie A clubs, regardless of their status in Brazilian football. The broadcaster has also said it will introduce a revenue distribution system based on that employed by the English Premier League.
EI said: “The division of revenues between clubs that close an agreement with Esporte Interativo will take place along the lines of the English Premier League based on the principle of balance and merit, which we consider to be a system that favours the development of Brazilian football as a whole.”
The Maquina do Esporte website said that five clubs – Atlético-PR, Bahia, Coritiba, Grêmio and Santos – are currently said to favour EI’s proposal, while eight teams – Atlético-MG, Botafogo, Corinthians, Cruzeiro, Fluminense, Sport, Vasco and Vitória – are backing Globo’s proposal.