The Belgian Arbitration and Mediation Centre CEPANI has ruled that the British-owned sport broadcaster DAZN must continue to broadcast Belgian First and Second Division football matches until the end of the current season. DAZN must also pay Belgian professional football’s governing body the Pro League the money that it is due for the broadcasting rights. The Pro League’s CEO Lorin Parys is pleased with the decision and says that “The winners with this ruling are our fans, our clubs and Belgian football as a whole”.
DAZN must continue to broadcasting Belgian football and paying fees until the end of this season
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The ruling is a victory for the Pro League. At the end of November, DAZN that holds the broadcasting rights for professional league football in Belgium terminated its contract with the Pro League. DAZN had been unable to reach an agreement with the telecom operators on rebroadcasting rights. As a result the only income from DAZN’s Belgian operation was from the subscribers to its app. This is nowhere near enough to cover the 84 million euro per annum that DAZN agreed to pay the Pro League when the broadcasting rights contract was signed.
When DAZN unilaterally pulled out of the contract in late November it said that it had done so “in accordance with Belgian law”. In the meantime, DAZN continued to broadcast Belgian football as before but did not pay the Pro League the money it was due for November.
The Pro League took the case to the Arbitration and Mediation Centre CEPANI and CAPANI has now ruled that DAZN must continue to make payments to the Pro League as contractually agreed. It must continue to film and broadcast all Pro League matches and comply with all anti-piracy measures and geo-blocking provisions that were mutually agreed. Furthermore, DAZN must also reopen negotiations with the telecom operators to conclude distribution rights agreements.
Speaking after the ruling, the Pro League’s CEO Lorin Parys, said that he is relieved. “We are pleased that, among other things, DAZN must fulfil its commitments regarding production, distribution, payment and negotiations with the telecom operators, The winners of this ruling are our fans, our clubs and Belgian football as a whole.’
The ruling covers the period between now and the end of the current football season.