June 5 – FOX Sports is to sub-license its broadcast rights to qualifying matches for Euro 2016, and the European qualifiers for 2018 FIFA World Cup to rivals ESPN. The networks will split the inventory 50/50.
The agreement covers English-language exclusive broadcast rights in the US and the non-exclusive rights in the Caribbean.
Qualifying matches for the Euro 2016 championships begin in September 2014, while 2018 World Cup qualifiers begin in September 2016. The rights cover more than 270 matches in total and include: 129 Euro 2016 Qualifiers (Sept. 2014 – Nov. 2015); 129 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (Sept. 2016 – Nov. 2017); and 15 international friendly matches.
The broadcast rights market in the US has become increasingly competitive over the past 12 months.
ESPN aired the Euros in 2012 and has the rights for the 2016 tournament. In 2011, Fox Sports beat ESPN and NBCUniversal for the FIFA World Cup rights to the 2018 and 2022 finals tournaments. ESPN also has the rights to next year’s finals in Brazil.
ESPN will broadcast matches across ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN and ESPN3. ESPN will also have highlights rights for studio programs including SportsCenter, ESPN’s new daily soccer program ESPN FC on TV and ESPN FC. For the 2016 qualification cycle, ESPN has first selection from each week’s pool of games leading into its tournament coverage.
FOX Sports will broadcast across FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports GO, launching this summer; FOX Soccer Plus; and FOX Soccer 2Go. FOX Sports has first selection of pool games leading up to its coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
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