Uefa, European football’s governing body, agreed deals in Belgium for the Europa League for three years, from 2012-13 to 2014-15, with public-service broadcaster VRT, commercial broadcaster RTL, and pay-television broadcaster Telenet.
VRT acquired Flemish-language rights to the first-pick match each week, renewing the rights it has in the current cycle, 2009-10 to 2011-12. VRT pays about €700,000 ($938,000) per year for the rights in the current cycle.
RTL was awarded the French-language rights to the first-pick match in each of the two kick-off slots each week. RTL will take over from commercial broadcaster AB3 as the free-to-air Europa League broadcaster in the French-speaking region of Wallonia. AB3 pays €700,000 ($938,000) per season for the first-pick live match each week in the current cycle.
Telenet acquired Flemish-language rights to a number of live matches each week, which it will show across its bouquet of Sporting Telenet channels.
In the current cycle, basic-tier cable-television broadcaster EXQI has the rights for all matches except the first-pick matches, in both regions, in a deal worth €500,000 per season.
The new deals all include weekly highlights programmes, and internet and mobile rights. Team Marketing, Uefa’s sales agent for the Europa League and Champions League competitions, brokered the deals.