Bundesliga expands into unfamiliar territory

The Bundesliga will branch into North and Latin American, plus most of Asia, after the German Football League (DFL) signed a 21st Century Fox deal for the 2015/16 season.

The deal means Germany’s top-flight is set to be beamed into markets as diverse the USA, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand, while European countries Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium will show Bundesliga football on television in the future.

The agreements reached for the Americas and Asia span a total of five seasons, beginning in 2015-16 and ending with the 2019-20 campaign. 

For the European nations, the two parties have agreed on a deal spanning the 2015-16 and the 2016-17 seasons.

“Both on and off the pitch, the Bundesliga has grown to become one of the preeminent soccer leagues in the world,” added James Murdoch, deputy chief operating officer of 21st Century Fox.

“We look forward to partnering with the DFL over the next five years to leverage our unrivalled global portfolio of sports channels to bolster the Bundesliga brand in every corner of the globe.”

Christian Seifert, chief executive of the DFL, said the deal reflected the German league’s growing popularity after both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich contested last season’s Champions League final.

“These agreements confirm that the Bundesliga has legitimately evolved to become a top international sports media property,” said Seifert.

“21st Century Fox is a global-scale partner that provides German football opportunities for worldwide exposure and future growth.

“We welcome these agreements as an expression of faith in the Bundesliga’s continued development over the coming years.”