Kirch Signs World Cup TV Deals in Russia and Portugal
KirchSport AG, the company responsible for the global marketing and sales of the broadcast rights to the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups has today announced two key television rights deals for the forthcoming event in Korea/Japan.
These two agreements – for Russia and Portugal – mean that broadcasting deals are now in place for all 32 qualified nations.
The Portuguese broadcasting agreement is with Sport TV and covers the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It means that soccer fans in Portugal will be able to see all 64 matches – Sport TV will be the only Portuguese channel broadcasting the entire competition.
Portugal’s qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup ensures a very high level of interest in this year’s event. Key matches will also be sub-licensed to free-to-air broadcasters, in order to fulfil the conditions of FIFA’s Distribution Policy.
For Russia, the deal is with state broadcaster RTR, ensuring Russian audiences universal access to the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Another Russian channel, ORT, will be a sub-licensee and provide additional coverage in Russia for the event. Each channel will cover a total of 32 matches, divided between the two channels on an even/odd match basis. The Final, on June 30th 2002, will be broadcast live on RTR.
RTR will show the majority of its matches live. It serves not only viewers in Moscow, but also audiences in the Far Eastern regions of Russia who live in different time zones. RTR’s press office stressed that its experience in covering the Russian football championships live on a weekly basis would have a beneficial effect on its specialist coverage of the FIFA World Cup.
Oliver Seibert, Head of Television at KirchSport, said, 'We are very pleased to announce these deals – Portugal and Russia were the last of the qualifying nations to reach an agreement on television coverage for the 2002 event, so this is an important moment for us.'
The agreements were both signed with KirchSport AG’s subsidiary company, KirchMedia WM AG, the rights-holding company for World Cup rights in Europe.
For further information please contacts:
KirchSport AG
John Kristick
T: +41-41 723 1515
E: john.kristick@kirchsport.com
W: www.kirchsport.com
These two agreements – for Russia and Portugal – mean that broadcasting deals are now in place for all 32 qualified nations.
The Portuguese broadcasting agreement is with Sport TV and covers the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It means that soccer fans in Portugal will be able to see all 64 matches – Sport TV will be the only Portuguese channel broadcasting the entire competition.
Portugal’s qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup ensures a very high level of interest in this year’s event. Key matches will also be sub-licensed to free-to-air broadcasters, in order to fulfil the conditions of FIFA’s Distribution Policy.
For Russia, the deal is with state broadcaster RTR, ensuring Russian audiences universal access to the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Another Russian channel, ORT, will be a sub-licensee and provide additional coverage in Russia for the event. Each channel will cover a total of 32 matches, divided between the two channels on an even/odd match basis. The Final, on June 30th 2002, will be broadcast live on RTR.
RTR will show the majority of its matches live. It serves not only viewers in Moscow, but also audiences in the Far Eastern regions of Russia who live in different time zones. RTR’s press office stressed that its experience in covering the Russian football championships live on a weekly basis would have a beneficial effect on its specialist coverage of the FIFA World Cup.
Oliver Seibert, Head of Television at KirchSport, said, 'We are very pleased to announce these deals – Portugal and Russia were the last of the qualifying nations to reach an agreement on television coverage for the 2002 event, so this is an important moment for us.'
The agreements were both signed with KirchSport AG’s subsidiary company, KirchMedia WM AG, the rights-holding company for World Cup rights in Europe.
For further information please contacts:
KirchSport AG
John Kristick
T: +41-41 723 1515
E: john.kristick@kirchsport.com
W: www.kirchsport.com