Portuguese pay-television broadcaster Sport TV has accused telco Nowo of owing significant amounts in carriage fees, days after the broadcaster withdrew its channels from the service. Reports in Portugal suggest Nowo owes about €4m.
Sport TV was removed from Nowo’s pay-television services on November 9, but it is understood their carriage agreement had expired in July. Nowo countered accusations of non-payment with a claim that Sport TV demanded an increase of 15 per cent on their deal.
Sport TV holds rights to the top two tiers of Portuguese football, the Uefa Europa League, the English Premier League and Italy’s Serie A. The only major sports properties it does not show are the Uefa Champions League and Formula One, which are held by pay-television broadcaster Eleven Sports.
Nowo is the exclusive carrier of Eleven’s linear channel, which launched in Portugal for the 2018-19 football season. Portugal’s other major pay-television operators – Nos, Vodafone and telco Altice – all own 25-per-cent stakes in Sport TV.