DAZN Continues Broadcasting Belgian Football

In a recent announcement, DAZN affirmed its commitment to broadcasting Belgian football for the remainder of the season. This decision comes after emergency arbitration proceedings initiated by the country’s Pro League, clarifying the ongoing situation between the sports streaming platform and the league.

Background of the Dispute

Last month, DAZN declared that it would be unable to fulfill its broadcasting obligations under Belgian law, leading to its contract’s expiration. This unexpected move incited frustration within the Pro League, which accused DAZN of unilaterally terminating their collaboration.

Details of the Arbitration Proceedings

While DAZN has expressed that it cannot disclose specifics of the arbitration decision reached by Belgium’s emergency arbitrator, CEPANI, it has confirmed that it will continue its production and broadcasting of Pro League matches this season. The league had previously granted DAZN the domestic media rights for the period stretching from 2025 to 2030 in a contract anticipated to generate at least €84.2 million annually.

Implications of the Ruling

The ruling confirmed several obligations for DAZN, including:

• Continuing payments as per the original contract.
• Maintaining the production and broadcast of football matches.
• Adhering to anti-piracy measures and geo-blocking regulations.
• Negotiating with telecom companies to finalize distribution agreements.

Lorin Parys, the CEO of the Pro League, emphasized that the true winners of this ruling are the fans, clubs, and Belgian football as a whole.

DAZN’s Perspective

Massimo D’Amario, CEO of DAZN Belgium, mentioned that the interim measures ordered by CEPANI, particularly concerning payments, do not indicate a judgment on DAZN’s legal standing in the ongoing dispute with the Pro League.

DAZN remains optimistic that the upcoming arbitration panel will ultimately conclude that the original contract ended lawfully. The company anticipates that the panel will also address critical issues related to compliance with competition laws.

Current Broadcasting Situation

After difficulties in reaching distribution agreements with Belgian operators, matches are currently available solely through the DAZN app. DAZN has expressed that this situation is financially unsustainable moving forward.

Conclusion

The ongoing developments between DAZN and the Pro League illustrate the complexities of sports broadcasting rights in an evolving landscape. As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring that fans continue to have access to their beloved football.

Key Takeaways:

• DAZN will continue to broadcast Belgian football for the rest of the season.
• An emergency arbitration ruling mandates DAZN to uphold its contractual obligations.
• DAZN and the Pro League are in a legal dispute regarding the contract’s validity.
• The current broadcasting arrangement presents financial challenges for DAZN.