Football: PZPN signs TV deal with Canal+ giving clubs offer they could refuse
Pay-TV station Canal+ has signed an $80 million deal for the rights to
televise Polish football-league matches for the next five years. Apparently,
rival Wizja TV, was ready to pay $100 million, but never had a chance to
place a bid. For the first time in several years, clubs did not sell the
rights to games individually. Instead, the Polish Football Federation (PZPN)
acted on their behalf. PZPN deputy president Zbigniew Boniek says its had
been authorized to represent the clubs and could not have announced a tender
for the TV rights as Canal+ already had the rights to most game. The Polish
Autonomous Football League (PALP) says the clubs did not authorize PZPN to
represent them and the deal with Canal+ is not legally binding. (Gazeta
Wyborcza, page 32) T.J.
