Football Partnerships

French media rights for the 2009-12 UEFA Europa League have been issued to M6 and Canal, as announced on the UEFA website.

As a result, M6 has secured exclusive free-to-air rights, providing an opportunity to air the first-choice live matches weekly.

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By Mike Reynolds

ESPN is going all out with its coverage of the UEFA Champions League final next Wednesday.

The total sports network will cast its multimedia net around the May 27 event pitting English Premier League champion Manchester United, led by FIFA world player of the year Christiano Ronaldo, against La Liga titlist FC Barcelona, topped by Lionel Messi, the player who may become this year’s top footballer.

Through its various networks, ESPN will make the top club championship available to 167.8 million households in 115 nations and territories U.S., Canada, Latin America, Africa, the Pacific Rim and Asia.

The 2009 final marks the 15th straight year ESPN and its international networks have televised the Champions League final. However, it will be the last for at least three years in the States as Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports USA outbid the sports leader for rights to the tourney from 2010 through 2012.

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Sport and Technology: The Conference 2009 has announced Bernard Ross, Head of TV Production at UEFA Media Technologies, will be making the closing address at the event this June.

The event has formerly been closed by the International Cricket Council, Avaya and FIFA. Confirmed speakers also include representatives from BetFred, BT London 2012, Chelsea Digital Media, NFL UK, Nike UK and Ireland, Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley Stadium.

Ross’ address will outline UEFA’s strategy for managing its host broadcasting of the European Football Championships completely in house by utilising a cross-platform approach. UEFA’s Euro 2008 tournament faced logistical and technological challenges having been produced in two host countries and in high definition to around 140 territories.

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It looks like Canadian football fans will be tuning to Rogers Sportsnet next year, thanks to a recent deal established between UEFA the multi-faceted broadcasting platform.

The partnership is set to cover rights for the 2009-12 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup within Canada, as announced on uefa.com.

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By Graham Dunbar

UEFA and Europe’s top clubs moved to quash speculation Tuesday that a continentwide Super League is back on football’s agenda.

The categorical denials came in response to a series of media reports in France, Italy and Spain on Tuesday that plans for the elite league — an issue which threatened to tear European football apart in recent years — were being revived.

One proposal had the league being formed in three divisions of 20 or 22 teams, who would likely field weakened lineups in their domestic championships, which would be reduced in size.

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