The Dutch top-tier soccer league, Eredivisie, has finally secured a broadcast deal in Japan. The agreement with the FujiTV network marks the end of an Eredivisie blackout in Japan that lasted for much of the season due to a lack of rights partner.
The new deal will commence from Eredivisie matchday 22 on February 16 and will run until the end of the 2024-25 season. This agreement was brokered by IMG, a sports and entertainment giant responsible for selling international rights for Eredivisie.
Previously, FujiTV and commercial broadcaster TV Asahi held news access rights only for this campaign's remainder. Streaming platform Hulu had shown Eredivisie matches in Japan over the last two seasons but did not renew its deal ahead of the 2023-24 season.
FujiTV has been home to Eredivisie in the past
Eredivisie is no stranger to FujiTV as it previously held broadcasting rights between 2016-17 and 2019-20 seasons. With this new agreement, up to 156 fixtures across two seasons will be broadcasted on its platforms - FujiTV NEXT and FOD.
This move is expected to be well-received by Japanese fans as six Japanese players are currently featured in this season's Eredivisie: Ayase Ueda at Feyenoord; Yukinari Sugawara at AZ Alkmaar; Koki Saito and Shunsuke Mito at Sparta Rotterdam; along with Koki Ogawa and Kodai Sano at NEC Nijmegen.
IMG has again worked their magic to get deal for Dutch league
IMG has been instrumental in selling global media rights for top Dutch leagues across all international regions (excluding Netherlands) over the past two decades. Their current three-year contract extends till end of the 2024-25 season.
In addition to Eredivisie, FujiTV's sports rights portfolio also includes the domestic J.League matches and motor racing's Formula 1.
Earlier this week, Eredivisie finalized a long-term domestic media rights renewal with Disney-owned international sports broadcaster ESPN until 2030. This move further solidifies Eredivisie’s commitment to expanding its global reach and providing fans worldwide with access to their favorite sport.
The return of Eredivisie on FujiTV is a significant development for Japanese soccer fans who have been missing out on their favorite league due to the blackout. With six Japanese players currently playing in the league, this deal will not only bring back top-tier Dutch soccer action but also provide an opportunity for local fans to follow their homegrown talents closely.
