The English Premier League, the top division of football in England, has awarded rights in Portugal to Benfica TV, the basic-tier channel that is operated by Benfica, the most popular football club in the country.
The deal will run for three years, from 2013-14 to 2015-16, and covers all 380 matches per season across all audiovisual platforms.
Benfica president Luís Filipe Vieira said: “Innovation is a permanent value of Benfica and the fact that we can offer, during the next three years, the English Premier League matches to all Portuguese, and not only to Benfica fans, is something that fills me with pride and points the way we want for Benfica TV.”
Vieira announced in October that the club would keep its own media rights for exploitation on Benfica TV after deciding against renewing a deal with the Olivedesportos agency that will expire at the end of the current 2012-13 season. Media rights are sold on a club-by-club basis in Portugal.