Polsat snaps up Poland national team rights

Polish pay-television operator Polsat acquired domestic rights for Poland national team football matches in a deal with the Sportfive agency.

The deal, which starts immediately, will run until the start of the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

The agreement comprises 21 matches, including qualifying games for the World Cup and friendly contests, according to Polish news website Press.

Polsat will exploit the rights on its pay-television channel Polsat Sport and will also show games live online via its IPLA service.

The deal has been agreed after Sportfive last month sold rights for Poland national team games to Polish public-service broadcaster TVP.

Thomas Cieslik, Sportfive’s director of business, said that the deal with Polsat would help the agency to “balance costs… and increase the profitability of the project” after TVP renewed its rights for a lower rights fee than the previous cycle.