Successful tenders for UEFA club competition media rights in UK and France

TEAM secures a significant uplift in rights fees for UEFA and ECA

4 July 2022 / Lucerne, Switzerland – Following the successful conclusion of the media rights sales processes for the UK and France last week, TEAM Marketing is delighted to have marked the start of commercial rights sales for the 2024-27 UEFA club competition cycle by securing a series of outstanding results for UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA)’s new Joint Venture. With BT, Amazon and the BBC having been awarded rights in the UK alongside Canal+ and M6 in France, the long-term health of UEFA’s club competitions has been bolstered not only by a strong financial outcome, but also by the introduction of new market entrants and an enhanced sponsorship proposition supported by the reach of the BBC’s free-to-air coverage.

These results reflect the recognition by media partners in the UK and France of the additional value created by the ground-breaking new competition formats for the 2024-27 seasons. They also mark a strong start to the new sales cycle following TEAM’s re-appointment as the global marketing partner for UEFA men’s club competitions earlier this year.

UK: BT to prolong partnership; Amazon and BBC awarded rights

Long-standing UEFA partner BT will extend its commitment to midweek European football, having acquired the broadest range of rights packages in the UK. The 2024-27 seasons will see BT broadcast more UEFA club competition matches than ever before, with exclusive rights to show Wednesday/Thursday UEFA Champions League matches (including the final) and second-pick Tuesday matches, as well as all UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League matches. BT has also secured rights for Tuesday and Wednesday UEFA Champions League highlights programming.

Amazon, already a UEFA Champions League partner in Italy and Germany for the 2021-24 seasons, will extend its European club football footprint to the UK for the first time, securing exclusive rights to Tuesday first-pick matches. And, for the first time ever, the BBC will be welcomed to the UEFA Champions League family, providing wide-reaching free-to-air Wednesday highlights coverage (shared co-exclusively with BT).

France: Canal+ remains home of UEFA club competitions; M6 brings free UCL final coverage

In France, incumbent partner Canal+ has broadened its European club football offering to include rights to all UEFA club competitions. M6 has secured rights to the UEFA Champions League final, which will be shown free-to-air (shared with Canal+, which has also acquired the pay rights to the final).

Simon Crouch, CEO of TEAM, said: “The start of every sales cycle always delivers a fresh set of opportunities and challenges and the 2024-27 sales cycle is no exception. Last week’s results in the UK and France bear out our confidence in the enduring appeal of the UEFA’s flagship club competitions, the excitement of the leading clubs in Europe and the value of the compelling new competition formats.”

Oliver Holland, Managing Director of TEAM UK, said: “The successful outcome of the highly-competitive sales processes in the UK and France is the culmination of more than a year of detailed preparatory work and reflects the continuing trust of the media partner family in UEFA and TEAM, as well as our tailored sales process. Equally importantly, these results have laid down a very strong marker for the remainder of the sales cycle.”

TEAM has provided support to UEFA in the global marketing and sale of UEFA club competition commercial rights (including media, sponsorship and licensing rights) and the provision of account management and associated services since 1992.

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