The Traffic Sports agency has said that it remains the international rights-holder for a series of tournaments operated by Conmebol, after the governing body of football in Latin America announced it had agreed a deal with pay-television broadcaster Fox International Channels.
Earlier this week, Conmebol and FIC unveiled a three-year rights deal, from 2016 to 2018, covering the Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana and Recopa Sudamericana competitions in Latin America. Under the deal, which also includes the Copa Libertadores U-20, Women’s Copa Libertadores, Futsal Copa Libertadores and Beach Soccer Copa Libertadores, Fox will distribute rights to territories outside of Latin America.
Traffic had a contract with the former holder of Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana rights, T&T Marketing, for rights outside the Americas until 2018. It was previously reported that the T&T deal had been dissolved, allowing Conmebol to reallocate the rights.
However, Latin American news service Maquina do Esporte said that Traffic is not willing to give up the rights.
The report said that Traffic would consider two options. One option would feature a sublicensing deal between Traffic and FIC, or another option would be for Fox to buy out Traffic’s deal with T&T.