EBU and UEFA sign TV contract for EURO 2004 finals
Wednesday, December 13, 2000
Article summary
UEFA President Lennart Johansson together with the President and the Secretary General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Albert Scharf and Jean-Bernard Münch, today signed the contract for the television broadcasting rights to the final tournament of EURO 2004.
Article body
On 13 December 1999 UEFA President Lennart Johansson together with the President and the Secretary General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Albert Scharf and Jean-Bernard Münch, signed the contract for the television broadcasting rights to the final tournament of EURO 2004™ to be held in Portugal.
'Free-to-air access for fans' - Johansson
The successful conclusion of this agreement guarantees the live coverage of the 31 final round matches in all European countries on free-to-air television. This also means that all TV households in Europe will be reached. The new deal, which is worth €540million, reflects for the EBU and UEFA the importance of a realistic and fair income for European football balanced with the importance of good television access. The option of higher revenues and more restricted access was rejected by UEFA in favour of this balanced deal.
RTP - Host broadcaster
EBU have also confirmed that their member RTP, the national Portuguese television broadcasting company, have been appointed as the host broadcaster for the event. In addition, the distribution of the signals will be guaranteed over EBU’s digital Eurovision network.
Excellent deal
Commenting on the contract signature, UEFA President Lennart Johansson said: "This is an excellent deal for fans, football and broadcasters. We have tried to strike the right balance in this new television contract, ensuring free-to-air access for fans throughout Europe, revenue for the game and the proper promotion of our EURO 2004™ tournament. I am very pleased to be joining my colleagues at the EBU for today’s event which is an important step in the preparations for EURO 2004™."
Essential for the future of football
EBU President Albert Scharf said the contract showed a continuity of trust between UEFA and public service broadcasters that had existed from the very beginning. "It is also an important signal for the market that free-to-air television, serving the whole of society, is essential for the future," he said.