In a groundbreaking move set to redefine how football is consumed in the United Kingdom, the Bundesliga has announced a radical overhaul of its UK media rights, establishing a multi-platform distribution model that uniquely blends established broadcasters with prominent digital content creators. This pioneering approach marks the first time a major European football league has formally granted live media rights to influencers, signaling a significant shift in sports broadcasting news.
A Diverse Portfolio for UK Fans
The new multi-year agreements, effective from the upcoming season, aim to maximize the Bundesliga’s reach, revenue, and relevance within the highly competitive UK sports market. The comprehensive strategy ensures that fans across the kingdom will have multiple avenues to follow German football, catering to diverse viewing habits.
Sky Sports, the long-standing incumbent rights holder, will continue to be a cornerstone of the Bundesliga’s presence in the UK. The broadcaster retains the exclusive rights to the highly anticipated ‘top match’ each Saturday, scheduled for a 5:30 PM UK time kick-off. In addition to live game coverage, Sky Sports will also provide a full suite of supplementary programming and comprehensive highlights packages throughout the week, offering in-depth analysis and expert commentary to its dedicated audience.
Expanding the premium viewing options, Amazon Prime Video has secured the exclusive pay-per-view (PPV) rights for all Sunday afternoon games. These matches will be available for individual purchase at an accessible price point of £2.49 per game, crucially, without requiring an Amazon Prime membership. This flexible offering aims to attract ardent Bundesliga fans and those keen to follow specific fixtures or teams. Amazon’s involvement also extends to covering the promotion/relegation playoffs and the German Supercup season opener, leveraging its existing relationship with the Bundesliga’s cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Free-to-Air Access and the Rise of Digital Creators
The most innovative aspect of this new deal lies in the liberalisation of free-to-air rights, significantly increasing accessibility for a wider audience. The BBC, a powerhouse in UK Sports, has secured a multi-year deal to stream all Friday night matches live. These fixtures will be available to stream via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website, ensuring broad public access. Complementing the BBC’s coverage, the Bundesliga’s own official YouTube account will also stream all Friday night games, further enhancing free viewership opportunities.
In an unprecedented development, up to 20 of these Friday night matches will be uniquely aired on the YouTube channels ‘The Overlap’ and Mark Goldbridge’s ‘That’s Football’. This groundbreaking partnership signifies the Bundesliga’s bold step into the realm of content creation and influencer marketing. Both channels, boasting substantial subscriber bases—over 1.5 million for The Overlap and approximately 1.4 million for That’s Football—will present the games in a popular ‘watch-along’ format. This interactive viewing experience, where hosts provide live reactions and commentary, aims to engage a younger, digitally native audience who might traditionally be less inclined to watch live football on conventional television.
Strategic Vision and Audience Engagement
The decision to embrace content creators like Mark Goldbridge and The Overlap, which features football personalities such as Gary Neville, Roy Keane, and Ian Wright, reflects the Bundesliga’s strategic intent to tap into new demographics and strengthen its appeal in the United Kingdom. Peer Naubert, Chief Executive Officer of Bundesliga International, highlighted this multi-layered strategy, stating it is “as diverse as our supporters” and represents a “progressive step in how top-level football can be experienced.” This approach is designed to connect with more audiences across the UK and Ireland, offering fans a multitude of ways to engage with the league.
Recent years have seen a growing interest in German football within the UK, partly fueled by the presence of high-profile English talents such as Harry Kane at Bayern Munich, alongside rising stars like Jobe Bellingham. The league’s proactive move to diversify its broadcast partners aims to capitalise on this trending interest and bring the excitement of the Bundesliga to more homes than ever before.
This revolutionary media rights deal sets a precedent for other major European football leagues, demonstrating a clear understanding of evolving media consumption habits. By combining the established reach of traditional broadcasters with the dynamic engagement of digital platforms and influencers, the Bundesliga is not just selling rights; it’s building a comprehensive ecosystem designed to deliver football to fans in the way that best suits them, ensuring its continued relevance and growth in the UK market.
