German free-to-air broadcaster RTL Deutschland and pay-TV player Sky Deutschland have agreed a two-year partnership deal to share live sport and other content.
The two-year partnership will see seven Formula 1 races broadcast live on RTL in Germany, alongside one game from the English Premier League per match week on RTL+, and three conference broadcasts of the 2nd Bundesliga on RTL.
As part of the commercial agreement, Sky Deutschland will receive rights to two Europa League or Europa Conference League games per match week, providing subscribers access to premium live sport every Thursday.
The partnership also includes select highlights rights, Sky fiction blockbusters and close collaboration in production and on-screen editorial between the two broadcasters.
The partnership will begin in 2024, with details of the specific races and matches to be confirmed nearer to the time of broadcast. RTL Deutschland and Sky Deutschland said that sharing live sport and content is the start of a broader partnership between the two companies, with the ambition of finding further ways to share content in the future.
Barny Mills, CEO of Sky Deutschland, said: “By creating this innovative partnership with RTL Deutschland, we will provide even more viewers with a showcase of those exciting sporting moments executed by the brilliant team at Sky Sport as a sample of what is on offer from a full subscription. As consumer habits evolve and change over time, it is our role to anticipate and provide solutions that make life easier for the viewer. This partnership represents that thinking in action and we are excited to join forces with RTL Deutschland.”
Stephan Schmitter, Chief Content Officer and incoming CEO of RTL Deutschland, said: “As the German free-TV market leader, we want to offer our viewers the best possible content – both on RTL and on our streaming service RTL+. Our new content partnership with Sky is the next major step for our ‘all-inclusive entertainment’ promise, as it perfectly complements our fiction and sports offering of football, American football and motorsport. At the same time, we ensure the greatest possible exposure across free-TV and streaming for Sky’s highly attractive sports rights, produced by great sport teams on both sides.”
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