Free-to-air broadcasters in South America bidding for rights to the 2020 Copa América will be limited to showing a maximum of 11 matches on their linear channels, according to the terms of the recently issued invitation to tender.
Conmebol, football’s governing body in the region, has outlined the scope of the broadcast rights available for the 12-team tournament, which will be staged in Argentina and Colombia from June 12 to July 12.
Free-to-air rights for linear broadcast are available for a minimum of 10 and maximum of 11 matches. These include the opening match, the five matches of the relevant national team in the group stage, the semi-finals, third-placed playoff and final. A quarter final featuring the national team of the rights buying broadcaster is also among the matches covered.
Rights to all 38 matches are being sold for all other platforms, Conmebol said. The move is viewed as a means of maximising interest from streaming operators. The restriction on free-to-air linear rights available only applies to bidders in the Conmebol region.
Broadcast rights are being sold worldwide, excluding Argentina and the Mena region, where deals are already in place. The Mena agreement with pay-TV broadcaster beIN Sports is thought to run up until the 2024 tournament.
The Dentsu agency last month acquired all global commercial rights to the 2020, 2024 and 2028 editions of the Copa América. The deal includes broadcast, sponsorship, licencing, gaming, ticketing and hospitality rights.
The deal is an extension of the deal Dentsu signed for the 2019 Copa América tournament after replacing MP & Silva in the role. Dentsu agreed a direct deal with Conmebol after ex-MP & Silva president and group chief executive Seamus O’Brien’s specialist consultancy, Team Copa América, was hired by Dentsu.
Free-to-air broadcasters in South America that held rights to the 2019 Copa América included TV Pública (Argentina), Bolivia TV, Globo (Brazil), Canal 13 and TVN (both Chile), Caracol (Colombia), Teleamazonas (Ecuador), RPC (Paraguay), America TV (Peru) and TVES (Venezuela).