BRUSSELS (AP) — Will Belgian soccer fans be able to watch their league's matches this weekend? Uncertainty looms after the deal between streaming platform DAZN and the Pro League ended on Tuesday.
Massimo D’Amario, the managing director of DAZN Belgium, said in a statement that the company had no other choice but to let the contract expire under Belgian law. The move infuriated the league, which accused the platform of ending the collaboration unilaterally.
The contract ended following months of unfruitful negotiations as DAZN failed to conclude distribution agreements with Belgian operators — a requirement under the tender. As a result, matches were only available on the DAZN app, making the situation financially unsustainable for the rights holder.
“No company should be forced to operate at a loss,” D'Amario said in a statement. “That’s simply not a sustainable business.”
The Belgian league said it was “stunned” by DAZN's announcement, adding that it would take all necessary legal measures to ensure that the platform "honors the agreements in place."
“In collaboration with the clubs, we, as the Pro League, cannot accept such an attack on our football,” the league said. “DAZN remains responsible for the production and broadcast of Belgian football to the fans.”
In December 2024, the league awarded the domestic media rights for the 2025-2030 period to DAZN, in a deal expected to bring in at least 84.2 million euros ($97.3 million) per season.
“The Pro League regrets that DAZN has now decided to unilaterally end the collaboration,” the league added. “In doing so, DAZN shows a complete lack of respect for our football, the clubs, and the fans.”
Rob Beenders, the Belgian minister of Consumer Affairs, told Sporza website that “it is high time a solution was found.”
“This is dramatic for Belgian football fans who want to watch Belgian football,” Beenders added.
The termination of the contract could also have serious consequences for Belgian clubs, which rely on TV rights to secure their budgets.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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LittleFoot said:
Cultural issues - but in America we like to pretend we are all the same. We are not.
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