OTT streaming platform Sports Flick has secured the Australian media rights to the UEFA Champions League in a three year deal.
The $60 million agreement has come as a shock to the Australian broadcasting market, where Sports Flick has traditionally operated as a niche competitor, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Until now, the outlet’s sports portfolio included fringe international and domestic tournaments, such as Future Wrestling Australia, Indian baseball, the Liga Primera de Nicaragua, The Wednesday League Australian grassroots football competition and bare-knuckle boxing.
Other agreements include a partnership with English National League South team Oxford City FC, in addition to coverage of Serbian rugby league, Australian baseball and the West Indies cricket team’s tour of Bangladesh.
Speaking on Twitter on 25 February, Sports Flick founder, Dylan Azzopardi, described the network as a ‘home for football,’ adding: “Stay tuned as we’ll be announcing a few more football leagues in the coming days.”
Football content on @SportsFlick at the moment. Stay tuned as we’ll be announcing a few more football leagues in the coming days. @SportsFlick “A Home For Football”⚽️ @UWCL ✅@lgaprimera ✅@AGLeague_EN ✅@kleague ✅
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— Dylan Azzopardi (@DylanAzzopardi3) February 25, 2021
Optus Sport was the previous rights holder to the premier European football competition, but has been reportedly ‘left stunned’ by the recent development, having lost one its flagship events.
The agreement marks a significant expansion of Sports Flick into mainstream broadcasting, having previously acquired the UEFA Women’s Champions League – also once held by Optus – as well as South Korea’s top-flight KLeague and the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Arabian Gulf League.
However, despite the Herald’s reports there has not yet been an official confirmation by either Sports Flick or UEFA.
