The Russian state broadcaster VGTRK has made a bid of $110 million (€88.2 million) for the rights to the Russian football Premier League for the next three seasons.
According to RAI Novosti, it previously tabled an offer of $420 million for six years that was rejected by the league.
This prompted the DTH platform NTV-Plus, which has held the rights since 2007, to make an offer of $100 million for three years. VGTRK then came in with a counter-bid of $110 million.
As Russian viewers were until a few years ago used to watching football on TV free of charge, the authorities stepped in when NTV-Plus originally secured the rights by requiring the platform to sublet those for major weekend games to VGTRK.
