MP & Silva Lands Five-year Deal for NFL Media Rights in Mainland Europe
Story Highlights
MP & Silva has acquired the right to represent the NFL in its media rights negotiations for 42 territories across Europe. Under the five-year agreement, which begins with the 2015 season, MP & Silva will be the NFL’s agent to distribute television and select digital rights across nearly all of main land Europe (the deal does not include the UK or Germany). With the reportedly $50 million deal, MP & Silva will play a key role in helping expand the NFL’s growing fan base in Europe over the next half decade.
The deal covers NFL television and digital simulcast rights of preseason and regular season games, all playoff games, Pro Bowl, and the Super Bowl. The deal also includes NFL Red Zone, NFL Network programming content, and key calendar events such as the NFL Draft. MP & Silva replaces IMG, which recently finished a five-year agreement serving as the league’s rights negotiator in mainland Europe.
“Our partnership with the NFL is a significant milestone in the successful story of MP & Silva,” Carlo Pozzali, founding Partner of MP & Silva, said. “Our position today means we are a key driver of maximizing the NFL’s international broadcast, distributing content to a total of 42 territories, reaching a potential TV audience of 220 million households around the world.”
MP & Silva has made expanding its American media rights key to its strategy in recent years, having already partnered with other North American leagues, such as the NBA, MLB’s World Baseball Classic, MLS, and ATP tennis, to distribute American sports internationally. In addition, MP & Silva has represented other major properties such as Serie A and Roland Garros.
The international media company will be tasked with helping the NFL in its continued pursuit of global expansion. Although the deal does not include media rights in the UK (or in Germany), the league has scheduled one regular season game per year at London’s Wembley Stadium since 2007, upping that number two two games in 2013 and three games apiece in 2014 and the upcoming 2015 season. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has also said that he foresees an NFL franchise in London within the next 5-10 years.
“We are glad that the NFL recognizes our leadership in the market,” says Roberto Dalmiglio, Chief Commercial Officer of MP & Silva, “and we are looking forward to using our network of broadcasters to increase coverage and drive new audiences to America’s top sport”
MP & Silva will be the sole agency for a broad range on NFL media rights in the following territories: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and the Vatican City. Notably, the UK and Germany are not included in the deal.
“We are excited to partner with MP & Silva in [the noted below] European markets where they have demonstrated a strong understanding of market dynamics and partnerships,” Michael Markovich, Director of International Media & Business Development, added. “We are looking forward to working together to grow our media footprint and continue to serve our fans in the region.”
