Sky Italia, the heavyweight pay-TV broadcaster, has extended its rights deal with German men's soccer's top-tier Bundesliga through the 2028-29 season. This agreement continues a successful partnership that began in 2021.
The new deal is a four-season agreement, similar to the previous one. It was unveiled recently and ensures that Sky Italia will maintain its status as Bundesliga's exclusive TV partner in Italy for the next four seasons. The partnership kicks off with the German Supercup season-opening fixture on August 16.
This agreement has been facilitated by Bundesliga International, an arm of the league responsible for managing international broadcasting rights.
Peer Naubert, chief executive officer at Bundesliga International, said:
"Our connection with Sky Italia has run for more than 20 years, and this long-standing relationship, characterised by mutual respect and trust, has allowed us to evolve with the ever-changing market."
Extensive coverage across leagues
The partnership between Sky Italia and Bundesliga spans across a variety of leagues and competitions. This includes the 18-team top-tier Bundesliga, the second-tier Bundesliga 2, the highly anticipated Supercup, as well as the end-of-season Bundesliga relegation playoffs.
In addition to live coverage of these events, Sky Italia will also produce highlights and magazine-style shows to provide comprehensive coverage of all things related to German football.
Currently, there are only three Italian players contracted to play for clubs in Germany’s top-flight league. Among them is SC Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo who arguably enjoys the highest profile among these players.
Recent media rights deals
In terms of recent media rights deals involving Bundesligas' broadcast rights abroad, mid-June saw an extension of collaboration with PPTV - a free-to-air channel based out of Thailand. This deal was facilitated by Bangkok Media Broadcasting Corporation along with Bundesligas International and allows PPTV HD36 channel to air two matches per matchday along with highlights and magazine shows during each season.
The upcoming new season begins on August 22nd where defending champions Bayern Munich will face RB Leipzig. Domestically, the match will be covered live by Sky Deutschland and DAZN. In other news, Sky Italia recently announced a new organizational structure that will encompass its sports broadcast operations alongside news and entertainment content. The pay-TV heavyweight also covers three games per matchday from the Italian top-tier Serie A through 2028-29.
This extended partnership between Bundesliga and Sky Italia is a testament to their successful collaboration over the years, offering Italian football fans comprehensive coverage of one of Europe's most exciting leagues.
