In the first big soccer broadcasting move coming off the North American World Cup, Versant has reportedly acquired rights to air Bundesliga games in the U.S.
The top German soccer league, home to European powers Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and several USMNT stars, will receive $100 million across five years on the new deal, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. Games will be split between USA Network and Fandango, the online platform most known for publishing movie information and selling movie theater tickets.
For the past six years, Bundesliga matches have aired primarily on ESPN+ in the U.S., with a limited number set aside for ESPN linear networks. That deal earned the German league $30 million per year, according to reports from when the deal was signed.
Despite the slight downtick in revenue in moving from ESPN platforms to Versant’s, Bundesliga figures to reach a greater audience with Versant, with USA Network airing at least 30 matches and the rest airing free on Fandango, according to The Athletic and Sports Business Journal.
“The key headline for us is that we are expanding our accessibility in the U.S. while simultaneously delivering strong financial results,” Robin Austermann, an executive at Bundesliga Americas, told SBJ.