The small number raises questions over the Bundesliga’s effectiveness as a lure to attract new subscribers and over Deutsche Telekom’s wisdom in acquiring the rights again in a new four-year period starting next season.
The company is reported to have paid €45 million a year for the IPTV rights in the old deal plus a further €15 million a year in production. It dropped the rights fees for the new contract to about €25 million a year.