Press Release: Competition: German Football League commitments to liberalise joint selling of Bundesliga media rights made legally binding by Commission decision

Commitments given by the German Football League ('Ligaverband') regarding the central marketing of the media rights of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga from 2005 until June 2009 were rendered legally binding by a formal decision adopted by the European Commission on 19 January 2005. This was the first ever so-called 'commitment decision' under new procedures for the application of EU competition rules (Regulation (EC) 1/2003) that had entered into effect on 1st May 2004. The commitments aimed at liberalising the central marketing arrangements and maximising the rights for television and new media (UMTS, Internet) available to football fans. Fans were allowed to enjoy new services, in particular for the new media, that the clubs were then able to develop. The European Commission had been concerned that the exclusive selling of commercial broadcasting rights by the 'Ligaverband' might have violated the EC Treaty's ban on cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 81) but then closed the case in the light of the 'Ligaverband' commitments.

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