Deutsche Telekom has given details of its triple role in UEFA EURO 2024. Telekom will act as a network supplier, national sponsor and TV rights holder in what it is describing as the biggest sporting event in a decade.
MagentaTV will be the only platform to show all 51 matches of the tournament in Germany, although public broadcasters ARD and ZDF will also show matches including all of those featuring the national team.
Capacity within Telekom’s mobile networks will be increased to allow for additional pressure from football fans: “In the beer garden, at the swimming pool or on the train: MagentaTV is everywhere where there is network coverage. With us, fans can watch soccer without limits,” says Deutsche Telekom’s Head of Private Customers Wolfgang Metze.
Johannes B. Kerner will anchor the coverage following previous stints on UEFA EURO 2020 and the 2022 World Cup. He will present live from the studio on match days and live from the stadium for selected matches. Former DFB captain Michael Ballack and former international Tabea Kemme will lead the MagentaTV team of experts. Wolff Fuss will lead the commentary team.
“The most successful teams in football are the ones with the best mix. We have a national team of experts, reporters and presenters with us. We rely on the best on-air team. We have received outstanding feedback at past tournaments and are focussing on personnel continuity. At the same time, we want to keep improving for our customers and have therefore also brought fresh names with additional expertise on board,” adds Metze.
Matches will be shown in UHD quality across three dedicated channels, which Telekom is making universally available. During the tournament, on 30 June 2024, the so-called ancillary cost privilege will no longer apply. From then on, the fees for the basic cable TV service may no longer simply be passed on to tenants via the ancillary costs. “This affects around 12.5 million households in Germany. They have a completely new freedom of choice and the chance to use our MagentaTV offer. The European Championship is a unique opportunity for us to attract new customers to Germany’s leading TV platform,” says Metze.
Fibre optics will also play a key role at EURO 2024, with Deutsche Telekom relying on fibre optics wherever the European Championship take place. The network technology has already been in place in most European Championship stadiums for a few days with test due to begin from the New Year. EURO and will continue to be used afterwards. In total, more than 600 Telekom technicians will be working during the tournament.
