News that state-owned TV channel RTP has made a successful €18 million bid for the next three years of UEFA’s Champions League broadcasting rights is not sitting well with the Portuguese government.
While Presidency Minister Luís Marques Guedes is claiming that “public money should not be spent purchasing football broadcasting rights”, RTP is denying the figure, saying the bid was much lower.
Indeed it affirms was the “lowest ever made” by the station. As things are, RTP is aware that whatever the government says, it cannot block the bid.
That power lies with independent commission CGI (Conselho Geral Independente).
Meantime, TVI, which previously held the broadcasting rights, is questioning how RTP can make the deal “profitable”. The state-owned channel is not allowing itself to rise to the bait.
Stressing that UEFA’s Champions League is “legally-qualified to be of general interest to the public”, RTP confirmed that the bid is “included in the channel’s budget” and will “not require any additional financial efforts” from the company.
A final decision either way now rests with the CGI.
