German media company ProSieben has made its first significant move in the football rights market by agreeing a four-year deal with the German Football Association (DFB) covering the country’s Under-21 team.
ProSieben and male-orientated channel ProSieben Maxx will broadcast Germany’s qualifying campaigns for the 2021 and 2023 Uefa European Under-21 Championships.
The wider rights package covers at least 35 international matches through to the summer of 2023. It will commence on March 26, when ProSieben Maxx broadcasts a friendly match between Germany and England ahead of this summer’s European Championships. The DFB said the deal also includes coverage of four live matches featuring the U20 and U19 teams per season.
ProSieben intends to use its agreement to follow the fortunes of Germany’s rising stars ahead of the country’s staging of Euro 2024.
Daniel Rosemann, station director for ProSieben/ProSieben Maxx, said: “The cooperation with the DFB is a milestone for ProSieben and ProSieben Maxx. For the first time we secure long-term football rights.
“With the NFL we showed how modern our two channels are. Now we want to take this similar (approach) to the German U-21 national team.”