Turkish soccer booming thanks to new broadcast deals

17 January 2010 | Posted in Broadcast, Soccer | By Adam Fraser

The Turkish Super League has signed broadcasting contracts with Digiturk, Türk Telekom and TRT worth US$374.7 million per year for the next four years.

Digiturk will pay US$321 million per year for the league's premier package, which gives it the rights to live broadcasts on television, via mobile and the internet. The package sees Digiturk keep hold of rights it has held for a decade, in which time it has paid well over US$1 billion.

Digiturk outbid Türk Telekom after the challenger matched it over almost 50 rounds of bidding in the rights auction. Türk Telekom, though, did secure a package of three-minute 3G highlights, worth $13.5 million per year. Turkish Television and Radio Corporation (TRT), meanwhile, will pay US$40.2 million per year for the right to broadcast Bank Asya League 1 matches.

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10 per cent of each bid will go to the Turkish Football Federation, with 35 per cent split equally between the Super League teams and 45 per cent distributed on a performance-related basis. The amount also includes two per cent operating costs and 18 per cent VAT.  Fenerbahce and Galatasaray currently lead the Super League table.