Ten Sports has bagged the rights for premium football competitions the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for the next cycle of three Seasons starting 2015-16.
Ten Sports, which is also the incumbent broadcast rights holders for the properties, has been broadcasting these premier football competitions since 2006-07. UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League rights have become the most key football properties up for acquisition.
The new deal between UEFA and Ten Sports, beginning from the 2015-16 season, covers exclusive broadcast rights for the Indian Subcontinent which includes India, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. Ten Sports will broadcast these properties across all its platforms.
Ten Sports would broadcast 145 matches of UEFA Champions League and 205 matches of UEFA Europa League every season. Apart from these matches, Ten Sports would also broadcast the annual UEFA Super Cup, the curtain raiser at the beginning of the European Season played between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
In a statement, Rajesh Sethi, CEO, TEN Sports, said, “Over the last decade, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League have found a home in the Indian Subcontinent at Ten Sports. Over the next four seasons, we will continue to build on the quality programming we offer around these marquee properties and strive to innovate to increase viewership and audience interest and engagement around these properties.”