By Alexander Krassimirov
January 19 – The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) and Football Pro Media have reached an agreement on a new contract for the television rights for Bulgaria’s top division – A group. The contract, which will start at the beginning of 2016 and runs through to the end of 2020, will see the BFU receive a total of BGN 30 million (€15 million).
Football Pro Media is wholly owned by brothers Kiril and George Domuschievs. They also own Bulgaria’s champion club Ludogorets Razgrad.
Club representatives met last weeks at the headquarters of the Bulgarian Football Union where the proposal was adopted unanimously. In the first two seasons, the teams from the elite division will divide BGN 5.5 million (€2.75 million). In the third season the amount is BGN 6 million (€3 million) and in the last two seasons of the contract the amount will be BGN 6.5 million (€3.25 million).
Football Pro Media was jointly owned by Kiril Domuschiev and Levski owner Todor Batkov – each holding a 50% stake in the company. Batkov however, revealed that at the end of last year he sold his share to Domuschiev for BGN 500 000 (€250 000) and thus currently Football Pro Media is wholly owned by brothers Domuschievs.
The Levski owner explained that he did this in to raise funds for the club which is in serious financial difficulties.
“The transaction was carried out at the end of November last year. I did it in the name of Levski. Times are tough, our club is not in that flourishing condition for which our supporters dream and somehow we have to patch up the situation,” said Batkov.
Last year Football Pro Media paid almost BGN 5 million (€ 2.5 million) for TV rights and resold them to TV7. This year’s football games are being broadcast by the Nova Broadcasting Group.
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