The IMG agency is one of three companies understood to have been shortlisted ahead of the award of international rights to Brazilian football’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Following a meeting of Brazilian clubs and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) this week, it is thought that proposals from IMG, Brazilian streaming platform TVN Sports and Betsul, the Brazilian betting operator launched in 2019, have all been under consideration.
The international broadcast, betting streaming and data rights have all been offered in a process managed by the CBF on behalf of the clubs. A proportion of sponsorship rights is also thought to be under discussion.
It is reported that a commission-based proposal from IMG does not propose a fixed minimum guarantee sum to clubs. Market observers have suggested that IMG looks in a strong position to secure the contract.
The CBF and Brazilian clubs last year restarted the international rights sales process after the collapse of a proposed agreement with the Sport Promotion agency. That deal, which was backed by Swiss investment fund Ecotonian, covered a four-plus-six-year period and included exclusive local-language international media rights, non-exclusive Portuguese-language media rights and clubs’ pitchside advertising rights.
TVN Sports is involved in streaming Brazilian football through its rights deal for the Campeonato Catarinense, the state league in Santa Catarina, while Betsul’s interest is sure to have been piqued by the betting streaming rights on offer.
International rights were held by media group Globo between 2016 and 2018 under its domestic rights deals with Série A clubs. Globo also held pitch-side advertising rights to all 20 clubs on an individual basis.