German club bosses welcome new television rights deal

German clubs got an expected cash boost from a three-year, 1.26 billion euro TV rights deal announced by the Bundesliga on Wednesday.

The compensation is a significant rise from the 300 million euros per season the Bundesliga receives under the current deal as well as a continued prime time Saturday evening slot for the much loved highlights show on public broadcaster ARD.

"I'm happy with the deal," Bayer Leverkusen managing director Wolfgang Holzhaeuser told sports agency SID.

"No club will receive less from the deal. In fact, income will increase. I assume more details will come out in the next couple of weeks."

The decision to ditch pay-TV provider Premiere and award live broadcast rights to cable operators will mean a moderate shake-up in the league programme, with the return of a regular Friday night match in place of one Saturday game.

From next season, one Bundesliga game will kick off at 8.30 p.m. each Friday, six will start at 3.30 p.m. on Saturday, with the remaining two matches scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Details of how the money will be shared among the clubs have not yet been revealed but club bosses expect benefits for all.

Hamburg SV chairman Bernd Hoffmann hoped the new deal would help German clubs compete with their counterparts in major European leagues.

"It doesn't automatically mean that we're more competitive internationally but at least we're getting into line with other European leagues," Hoffmann said.

"The contract is a good basis for the next three years."

Bundesliga president Werner Hackmann said Premiere had put the highest offer on the table but demanded that the highlights programme Sportschau could not be shown before 10 p.m.

Hackmann said that time was too late for sponsors and would end up costing the clubs money.

Under the new deal with Arena, a company owned by cable firm Unity Media, Sportschau will be shown by ARD at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday evenings.

Free-TV channel DSF, owned by media group EM.TV, will also broadcast match highlights. Phone carrier Deutsche Telekom will get the Internet broadcasting rights.

The Bundesliga are still looking for a title sponsor for the German league.