RTP strikes deal with Sport TV for sublicensed EHF Euros rights

Portuguese public-service broadcaster RTP has agreed a sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster Sport TV for rights to the men’s 2020 European Handball Championships.

The EHF Euro is currently taking place in Austria, Norway and Sweden, with Portugal having advanced to the main round.

The national team’s success has led to president of the Portuguese Handball Federation (FPA), Miguel Laranjeiro, calling for the national team’s games to receive free-to-air exposure. Laranjeiro this week wrote to the RTP board to ask if matches could be aired.

In its deal with Sport TV, RTP has now secured rights to Portugal’s knockout matches should it advance to that stage.

Portugal faces matches against Sweden tomorrow (Friday), Iceland (January 19), Slovenia (January 21) and Hungary (January 22). Portugal needs to finish in the top three of the six-team group to advance to the knockout phase. The semi-finals will take place on January 24.

RTP reiterated its commitment “to accompany the national teams in the most varied sports in international competitions” adding that from today, a news team will also report back from the tournament.

The EHF signed a 10-year media and marketing rights agreement with the Infront agency and media company DAZN Group that covers club and national team competitions and runs from 2020 to 2030. However, the agreement excludes the 2020 EHF Euro as it was part of a previous deal with Infront.