Arena receives television license
Arena, a German sports rights marketing company, had unexpectedly been awarded the live rights to the German Bundesliga and is now transforming itself into a television network.
The German sports rights marketer Arena was surprisingly awarded the live rights to the German Bundesliga in December last year, beating out pay-TV broadcaster Premiere. Arena has now been awarded a 10-year television license by the Media Commission of the North Rhine-Westphalian State Media Authority in Düsseldorf. Arena is a subsidiary of the cable TV company Unity Media. Meanwhile, warning voices have been raised in the German press that the bundling of cable network and content has the potential for abuse. Premiere CEO Georg Kofler, for example, called for a change in the law, as reported by Netzeitung. Nevertheless, Premiere is still hoping to obtain a sub-license for the Bundesliga from Arena. Arena's television license is still subject to reservation. The Commission on Concentration in the Media (KEK) and the federal state media authorities still have to give their approval.
