Astro Extend Broadcast Deal with German Bundesliga

Astro, anesthetist a Malaysian pay-TV network, has agreed a three-year broadcast extension with DFL Sports Enterprises, the commercial arm of the German Football League.

The deal will see Astro continue to broadcast the German Bundesliga, having done so since the 2006-07 season and the new agreement will extend the relationship through to the end of the 2014-15 campaign.

Amongst its other rights packages, Astro holds broadcast rights to the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s La Liga and France’s Ligue 1 as well as the UEFA Champions League.

The new agreement will be finalised by the end of March and will comprise multiple platforms, including internet and mobile phone. More than three million households subscribe to Astro’s Bundesliga broadcasts and under the terms of the new deal, Astro will carry at least four games per week.

Jörg Daubitzer, the managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises, stated: “Asia is seen as one of the most important markets when it comes to marketing the rights abroad. The fact that more and more players from this region are active in the Bundesliga is also seen to play a big role.”

Daubitzer added: “The early contract agreement with Astro for the upcoming rights period is a further sign of confidence in the Bundesliga and yet again underlines their ever growing standing at international level.”