Bundesliga live games: a Significant criticism of the DFL-assignment of rights

has never criticized the monopoly Commission competition decisions of the cartel office in Bonn in the Sport so significantly. In addition to the advertising opportunities for Olympic athletes, especially the regulations for the award of the media rights to the soccer Bundesliga, which has taken place in June for the next period between 2021/22 and 2024/25. "In fact, a focus carries on the mere allocation of rights to multiple bidders, the risk that consumers will be lost benefits, competition is excluded, and it accumulated to higher prices", is this Wednesday, appearing the main opinion of the monopolies Commission, the Advisory body to the Federal government. The extensive assessment of different competition policy issues in business is published every two years and the F. A. is, for example, in advance.

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Michael Ashelm

editor in the economic test.

In the matter of media rights to the German soccer League (DFL) is recommended to the cartel office, the economic effects of Central marketing of "total systematic" and "to ask for a better competitive control" the audience before making such decisions. Such a survey among football fans has not yet taken place. "The DFL is in the Central legal marketing of a Monopolist, and understandably interested in high revenue. Miss you may not need a monopoly but. An antitrust legal requirement is, therefore, that the interests of consumers are protected,“ says Achim Wambach, Chairman of the monopoly Commission, on request.

Currently, and in the next rights period, the pay-TV broadcaster Sky and the streaming service DAZN the Transfers of the Bundesliga to share live games over a weekend. As a Fan who wants to follow his favorite team through the season continuously have to buy both subscriptions. This also applies to a spectator in the entire League range. A real competition between the two providers, Sky and DAZN ums same product (for individual games) will not take place. The DFL as a marketer of the games could be experienced because of the separation of the Live packages drawbacks, because due to the lack of competition among the media companies to the consumer, the sum of the prices for the two complementary activities are probably higher than from a single source, and thus end up with fewer Fans League look.

the monopoly Commission is proposing the award of the rights for the Live coverage of the entire day's play to a provider, or a parallel Transmission of individual games from two providers. Alternatively, the Association-related legal packages (for example, all Live matches of FC Bayern Munich in a deal) could be envisaged. "The No-Single Buyer Rule in the Federal cartel office provides for the Bundesliga, is detrimental to both the Fan as well as the League," says the Munich-based antitrust lawyer Mark E. Orth. For him, the competition is lacking currently. Meanwhile, the Advisory body of the government, calls a "cartel official action".