A bidding war for the TV rights to the Polish premier football league Ekstraklasa appears to have brought about some unlikely alliances.
Wirtualne Media reports that Canal+ Cyfrowy, which currently holds the rights, will agree to sub-licence some to Polsat should it secure them for the next three seasons, beginning 2011/12. Polsat has itself said it will not take part in the contest.
TVN has meanwhile indicated it will share some the rights with the incumbent telco TPSA should its bid prove successful.
The rights are being auctioned off in a total of six packages, three of which are for pay-TV operators. They can all be secured by one or shared between a maximum of three parties.
Canal+ and TVN are prepared to bid around PLN350 million (€86.4 million) for the rights, or PLN100 million less than that hoped for by the Ektraklasa.
However, the football clubs would like the amount paid to be closer to PLN500 million.
