French-language public broadcaster RTBF and streaming platform DAZN have reached an agreement on the rights to broadcast footage of the Jupiler Pro League, the highest level of Belgian football. The deal, announced in a press release on Sunday, will run for five seasons, until 2030, reports 24brussels.
The agreement furnishes RTBF with digital summaries for RTBF Actus and Auvio, alongside broadcasting images in La Tribune on Monday evenings. Short highlight clips will also be featured in news bulletins and in the sports program 100% Sport. Furthermore, RTBF will gain permission to air excerpts from foreign competitions.
However, two months into the new football season, DAZN has yet to secure agreements with Belgium’s major telecom operators, who have traditionally been the primary distributors of live matches. Telenet, Proximus, and Orange contend that DAZN’s fees are excessive and express frustration over the packaging of these rights alongside those for the Spanish and Italian leagues.
Little progress
DAZN COO Jan Mosselmans indicated earlier this week that negotiations with Proximus have recently been revived and are “moving in the right direction.” Discussions with smaller, non-traditional telecom operators are also ongoing. Nevertheless, talks with the other major providers remain “deadlocked,” Mosselmans added.
Consequently, Belgian football fans currently have limited options, relying either on DAZN’s app for live matches or tuning in to RTBF for highlights.
The situation is further complicated by the absence of television coverage for the Belgian Cup this year. Previously, VTM and VRT aired some matches, but no agreements have been finalized for this year’s tournament, mirroring the unresolved issues seen with the Pro League. Potential for change remains as negotiations continue.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
