The streaming service was in the first year of a five year rights deal to cover the league’s matches
DAZN has halted its broadcast deal with Belgium football’s Pro League, mirroring a move it made with France’s Ligue 1 earlier this year.
The streamer and Pro League’s deal (agreed in December last year) for 2025/26 to 2029/30 was worth €84.2 million per year.
This was substantially down on the previous rights deal, which was signed in 2020 with Eleven Sports (now part of DAZN) and was then worth €103 million a year.
DAZN’s deal made it the exclusive rights holder, with a remit to broaden the coverage of the league. To this end, DAZN tried unsuccessfully to partner with other media outlets (including Orange and Telenet) to show selected live Pro League matches.
With the failing to secure any broadcast/media partners, DAZN says it was left with no alternative but to end its agreement with the Pro League.
Massimo D’Amario, managing director of DAZN Belgium, said: “We are disappointed to have reached a situation where, despite various attempts to resolve the situation, DAZN has no alternative but to observe the extinction of the contract under Belgian law.”
In response, the Pro League said it will “take all necessary legal steps to ensure that DAZN honours the agreements made. The Pro League regrets that DAZN is now unilaterally terminating the partnership. This demonstrates a complete lack of respect for our football, the clubs, and the fans.”
As it stands, though, there’s no guarantee that Pro League games will continue to be broadcast unless Pro League and DAZN can come to an agreement about how to move things forward.
Following the termination of DAZN’s agreement with Ligue 1, the league responded (with encouragement from DAZN) by successfully creating its own DTC platform, which, going forward, may also be an option for Pro League.
No comments yet