BT Sport secures exclusive rights to Bundesliga

BT continues to up the ante in its ongoing sports rivalry with Sky as it again secures the exclusive live rights to German Bundesliga football in the UK and Republic of Ireland until 2017.

Following a competitive tender for the rights, the new two-year contract, starting in September 2015, will see BT Sport show around 115 live matches a season – 15 more than the current deal.

BT Sport – which passed the 2.5 million subscriber mark in the final quarter of 2013 – will also have the rights to the annual DFL Supercup matches, plus reviews and highlights shows.

The Bundesliga deal adds to BT’s growing sports portfolio and will coincide with the start of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, for which BT won the rights to back in November.

BT reports that the UK audience reach for the Bundesliga on BT Sport this season is up 70% compared with last season.

“Bundesliga football is held in high regard at BT Sport, something which is not least of all reflected in the broad-based high quality reporting which it receives,” said Jorg Daubitzer, managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises.

“Never before have so many Bundesliga matches been shown with such broad penetration in the United Kingdom. We are very pleased to be able to continue this successful cooperation.”

BT’s head of sport, Simon Green, said that BT is “delighted that the Bundesliga recognised that BT Sport has made a big commitment to German football and will continue to promote and foster the league for UK sports lovers in the future.”