Match TV has signed a new four-year contract with the Russian Football Premier League (RFPL) following months of negotiations.
Kommersant reports that the channel, which is owned by Gazprom Media, will pay R1.7 billion (€23.2 million) plus R250 million production costs a year for the rights to the Russian Football Championship.
The next (2018/19) league season kicks off on July 28. The last contact between the two parties was signed in 2015 and worth R1.98 billion a year, including production costs.
Although the RFPL wanted more on this occasion, loss-making Match TV was unwilling to increase the amount paid.
The RFPL also held talks with a company named ASM, which was supported by a group of investors and had implied support from Channel One.