Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, the Bundeskartellamt, is to investigate a sublicensing agreement between pay-television broadcaster Sky and digital media company DAZN Group for rights to the Uefa Champions League.
In June 2017, Sky acquired exclusive Champions League rights in Germany for the three seasons from 2018-19 to 2020-21, before subsequently agreeing a sublicensing deal with DAZN.
The Champions League is no longer available on free-to-air television in Germany this season and the Bundeskartellamt has today (Tuesday) announced it will look into the agreement between Sky and DAZN.
In a statement reported by the Reuters news agency, cartel office president Andreas Mundt said: “We are investigating whether and in what form the co-operation between the two companies was agreed, and whether it has served or hindered the interests of consumers.”
The Bundeskartellamt added that the partnership may serve to further strengthen Sky’s dominant position in the German media sector. Sky Deutschland has agreed to cooperate fully with the Bundeskartellamt during the investigation.