The Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) has moved to play down reports that the Tenfield agency has agreed a deal for rights to the top two divisions of domestic football, stating a number of parties are currently in talks.
The FEF is currently marketing the rights to Serie A and Serie B, with the existing contracts due to expire at the end of 2017.
FEF president Carlos Villacís admitted that Tenfield executives were in the country for talks last month, leading to reports that a deal had been struck. However, he maintained a number of other parties are in contention.
“We received Paco Casal (of Tenfield), the manager of (pay-television broadcaster) Win Sports, the representative of (online operator) Servisky, the representative of Lagardere, people from IMG,” Villacís said, according to Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo. “What happened is that the press learned that Casal came and the noise was because of that.”
Ecuadorian state broadcaster TC Televisión, commercial broadcaster GamaTV and public-service broadcaster Ecuador TV in November 2012 agreed deals to acquire rights for Serie A and Serie B.
The deals with the FEF run for five years, from 2013 to 2017.
Villacís added: “The contract with the channels ends in December of this year and what we are doing is not to be looking at the last moment. We are preparing, not doing so would be irresponsible.”