TV blackout averted at World Cup
Voss-Tecklenburg is “just relieved”
06/15/2023, 07:19 am
The agreement in the tough TV poker about the broadcasting rights of the women’s soccer World Cup caused a collective sigh of relief among those involved. Financial details of the deal, which ARD and ZDF and the world association FIFA announced, are not yet known. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and FIFA had agreed to include the “Big Five” – the markets of Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and Spain – in the existing contract for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Last October, FIFA and the EBU had already agreed on 28 countries. In Germany and other major sports nations, on the other hand, a worst-case scenario threatened. FIFA President Infantino complained that TV broadcasters offered too little and threatened to refuse rights for several European nations. On the other hand, critics accused FIFA of wanting to increase its revenues under the pretext of gender equality.
However, all transmission issues have not yet been clarified in Europe. The expanded list of 34 countries released on Wednesday was missing the names of several European nations taking part in the World Cup: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Portugal. Overview of reactions to the averted TV blackout:
Gianni Infantino (FIFA President): “FIFA is delighted to extend its agreement with the European Broadcasting Union, which means that the Women’s World Cup will now be available in the five largest markets of its network – Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy and Spain – as well as in Ukraine is broadcast and the tournament receives the greatest possible exposure.”
Bernd Neuendorf (DFB President): “I am pleased about the agreement between FIFA and the EBU, as a result of which a broad visibility of the Women’s World Cup will be possible on ARD and ZDF. A blackout could be prevented. This is for further development of women’s football in Germany is of enormous importance. In the past few weeks, I have repeatedly campaigned for the transmission of the World Cup, both with FIFA and with the broadcasters. It was a good and trusting dialogue. I would like to thank everyone involved – especially WDR director Tom Buhrow – for their commitment and their solution-oriented actions.”
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (Federal coach): “I’m just relieved that our World Cup games will be visible on German TV. I would like to thank everyone involved that, in terms of the development of women’s football, visibility, the millions of fans and the sporting value of the tournament, a agreement was reached. Now we can go into preparation and into the World Cup with even more momentum and positive energy.”
Tom Buhrow (ARD Sports Rights Director): “I am very pleased that we can offer women’s football the stage that the players and the audience deserve this year. I would like to thank him for his trusting support during the negotiations in the past few weeks expressly thank DFB President Bernd Neuendorf. The result is in the interests of the sport, the players and the fans, who will now be able to cheer on the German women’s national soccer team in front of the televisions, radio and online in a month’s time.”
Norbert Himmler (ZDF director): “We are very pleased that we can now offer our viewers the opportunity to experience all the matches of the women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on public channels. Offer with a view to the time difference we also have the highlights of the games in summaries and diverse reports in our current programs and on our online portals. ARD and ZDF remain the right addresses for all fans of women’s football in Germany.”