Similar considerations, and sometimes even fears, are always brought to the surface when the German Football League (DFL) offers its media rights for sale. “Sportschau is worried about broadcasting space,” headlines “Der Spiegel” this week, while dozens of online portals ask: “Sportschau about to end?” It is also uncertain whether viewers will soon need new and possibly additional subscriptions in order to be able to watch all live games. Or will what many people want happen? Will all football in the first and second Bundesliga soon be available via a single pay-TV provider like it used to be in the noughties?
The latter is possible again for the first time since the tender in 2012 because the Cartel Office has abolished the so-called no-single-buyer rule. This regulation forced the league association to sell the rights to several providers. This was intended to prevent a monopoly, but it was not customer-friendly. It is now conceivable that Sky or another broadcaster will acquire the pay-TV packages for all games. “I don’t rule it out, but it’s not automatic that it happens like this,” said DFL managing director Steffen Merkel on Tuesday, who sees “good reasons” to “go into this tender with a broad chest and also with confidence.”