DAZN’s streaming deal with equestrian sport’s Global Champions unveiled last week could be the precursor to another rights-holder’s subscription owned-and-operated OTT service joining the broadcaster’s app.
Excluding only Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, the Mena region, Latin America (except Brazil) and the USA, DAZN’s international streaming agreement expands the broadcast footprint for the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) and Global Champions League (GCL).
The one-season deal was brokered by Sportfive, which came on board in a three-year deal to distribute the LGCT and GCL media rights worldwide from 2024 to 2026.
Global Champions is now balancing up how best to maximise a global audience of registered free DAZN users and defend subscription revenue from its in-house GCTV.
Talks between Global Champions and DAZN are understood to be taking place about extending their tie-up to integrate GCTV into the DAZN ecosystem. In just over two years, DAZN has struck channel add-on deals for NFL Game Pass, golf’s PGA Tour Pass, international basketball’s Courtside 1891, motor sports’ Rally TV, English football’s National League TV and American football’s ELF Game Pass.
For DAZN, the equestrian agreement represents its latest acquisition of inexpensive global rights to pull in more freemium users.
Exposure for both series was boosted by DAZN streaming action free of charge from the stage in Mexico City at the weekend. While the GCL is set to remain free for the next stage in Shanghai in early May, the LGCT is expected to be placed behind a paywall.
GCTV’s premium OTT package is priced at €179.99 ($194.40) per year, although the ‘Live Pass’ subscription is available at €59.99 per year and also includes live streaming of all LGCT, GCL and Tops International Arena events. Access to live studio programming and audio feeds are provided within a free GCTV account.
Revenue from the Longines title sponsorship – running until 2027 – comfortably represents Global Champions’ highest portion of income, followed by franchise team sales and fees from competing amateur riders. Media rights income is also outstripped by other sponsorship monies and revenues from the direct-to-consumer space across OTT, ticketing, hospitality and merchandising.
Global Champions has looked to shift from primarily an events-led business to a ‘fan-first’ media product.
Two years ago, it appointed the WePlay digital marketing agency in a bid to drive direct-to-consumer revenue streams. This came after first working with Two Circles to understand the wider opportunities in the space.
Broadcast distribution
The territorial exclusions from the DAZN deal are due to Global Champions’ existing rights deals with Nova (Czech Republic and Slovakia), TV4 (Sweden), beIN Sports (Mena), DirecTV (Latin America excluding Brazil) and a network deal to be announced soon in the US market.
Global Champions also has a deal with Eurosport spanning Europe (excluding Sweden) and the broadcaster’s Asia-Pacific territories, plus a global streaming pact (excluding Sweden and Latin America) with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max. A major free-to-air agreement in China is also on the cusp of being announced.
The beIN agreement, meanwhile, also extends to USA, Canada, France and Turkey.
In recent seasons, Global Champions has established a market-by-market distribution strategy, moving away from a model of paid-for coverage on CNN and Discovery to chiefly ensure global exposure for sponsors.
The international distribution excludes any domestic deals put in place by event organisers. Before appointing Sportfive, Global Champions worked with Sports Media Venture, set up by former IMG executive Floris Weisz, to establish broadcast deals in different markets.
The 2025 LGCT will take in 16 locations across 13 countries and boasts prize money of €36m ($38.9m).