The 12 clubs that comprise Greece’s second-tier Super League 2 competition have issued a tender for television production following a meeting this week with public broadcaster ERT, SportBusiness understands.
The clubs claimed that ERT had an agreement in place for the coming season but a proposal was tabled at a meeting earlier this week that would involve the halving of the broadcaster’s fees and exclude production costs for the season.
This has been rejected unanimously by the Super League 2 clubs and they have announced a strike effective from this weekend until a resolution is reached.
ERT had a deal in place to broadcast the Super League 2 after agreeing a slew of football media-rights deals under the previous centre-left Greek government. A snap election earlier this year saw the centre-right New Democracy party oust the incumbents, Syriza, and reduce the public broadcaster’s funding.
ERT’s opening offer to reduce the coming season’s fees by 60 per cent was rejected outright by the clubs. It is understood that they would be willing to accept an offer closer to a 20-per-cent fee reduction.
Earlier in the week, it was understood that a pair of clubs which were relegated from the top-tier Super League 1 competition – Apollon Smyrnis and Levadiakos – were considering legal action over ERT’s proposals. Had they accepted those, Apollon, Levadiakos and fellow-relegated side PAS Giannina would have seen their television rights fees fall from €500,000 each to €200,000 each.
ERT had agreed a separate deal with the remaining nine Super League 2 clubs for €600,000 between them. Again, appeals for fee reductions have been rejected unanimously.