The German Football League (DFL) is being forced to re-auction the largest TV rights package for the domestic Bundesliga after an arbitration tribunal ruled in favor of DAZN. DAZN had filed a complaint against the allocation of rights package B to a competitor, believed to be Sky Deutschland, back in April 2024.
The arbitration tribunal partially upheld DAZN's complaint, leading the DFL to suspend the TV rights auction until further notice. Details of the re-auction process will be announced after consultation with the DFL Executive Committee.
Rights package B includes the right to broadcast all Bundesliga matches on Friday evening (20:30 CET) and Saturday afternoon (15:30 CET), as well as the end of season playoffs.
“DAZN is delighted that the court has ruled in our favour,” said a DAZN spokesperson. “We remain convinced that DAZN is the best partner for DFL, for the clubs and for German football fans.”
“We take note of the arbitration tribunal’s decision,” Sky Deutschland said in a statement. “We are very well positioned for the allocation of the media rights and are confident that we can continue to offer our viewers the best Bundesliga experience and remain the leading sports provider.”
DAZN initially complained about unfair treatment during the auction, claiming its offer was rejected despite being “the most financially attractive and most convincing offer for rights package B.” DAZN argued that it lost out because it didn’t provide a bank guarantee in time, even though a letter of responsibility was acceptable in previous auctions.
The streaming service threatened legal action after its offer was rejected. Under the current contract, Sky Deutschland has the rights to the Bundesliga matches on Saturday, while DAZN screens the Friday and Sunday fixtures.