UEFA Gears Up for EURO 2012 Broadcast Bids

NYON: UEFA is inviting broadcasters outside of Europe to register their interest in acquiring the rights to the EURO 2012 football competition.

The controlling body for European football will soon begin a tender process for the broadcast rights to EURO 2012 outside of Europe. In advance of the launch, UEFA is inviting interested parties to express and register their interest. UEFA says the rights will be marketed on a "platform-neutral basis in order to reflect media technology convergence and to offer to media content distributors the possibility to exploit the competition across multiple platforms."

Organizations have till January 27 to register their interest. After certain formalities, including the signature of non-disclosure agreements, qualified parties will be provided with the tender document. The tender will be open to local or pan-regional broadcasters and broadcasting unions that have the "appropriate infrastructure, reach, resources and strong financial standing to distribute UEFA EURO 2012 programs in the relevant countries;" as well as agencies and broadcasting unions "that have appropriate, extensive and proven experience in the commercial exploitation of media rights to major sporting events, with strong financial standing, sufficient resources and suitably trained and experience personnel to market the media and related rights in the relevant territory and to provide the necessary rights delivery and account management services."