O2 TV has secured exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League for the Czech and Slovak markets until 2021.
Starting this August, matches in the Champions league will be broadcast on the O2 TV Sport, O2 TV Fotbal and O2 TV Free channels in the Czech Republic. Exclusive rights will apply to matches in the play-off round, both in the group stage and elimination phases of the Champions League, including the finals themselves and the UEFA Super Cup. All told, viewers will be able to watch over 140 live broadcasts in 18 weeks.
O2 Czech Republic has also gained complete rights for the UEFA Champions League for the Slovak market, where preparations are underway to launch an entirely new sports channel, also to be produced by O2 TV. More information on the availability of this channel in Slovakia will be made available by O2 at the start of the next UEFA Champions League season.
Commenting on securing the rights, Anna Lenerová, head of O2 TV content, said: “Even though prices for broadcasting rights are rising every year, we wanted to gain the maximum for our audience. So, we have also managed to secure exclusive rights for all the match days. Anyone who wants to watch complete UEFA Champions League coverage this coming seasons can watch it only on O2 TV”.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director at UEFA. added: “O2 has been a UEFA Champions League partner in the Czech Republic for the past three seasons, we are delighted to renew this partnership and extend it as well to the Slovak market for the 2018-21 cycle. It will ensure that football fans in both countries are able to access high quality programming, benefiting from O2’s innovative production”.
Marek Kindernay, MD of O2 TV Sport, said: “I believe we will not only delight fans, but also all our business partners. Now they can be sure that also in the coming years they will find the best and most followed football that the UEFA Champions League offers only on O2 TV. What’s more, next season we are likely to see a Czech representative in the UEFA Champions League group stage, which, together with the new game format, will ensure an even more attractive viewing experience”.
These format changes mainly concern new game times, when two duels will be played starting at 19:00 and the remaining six starting at 21:00.
viewers will be able watch UEFA Champions League matches not only at home, where it is enough to have an internet connection from any provider, but also in over 1,200 restaurants across the Czech Republic.
Another increasingly popular option will be O2 TV Sport with 24-hour access, streamed by browser or via the O2 TV application on mobile phones and tablets.
