Bundesliga to keep its name

Deutsche Telekom has a contract with Germany's top football league, Bundesliga, that includes the option to change the name Bundesliga for the 2007-08 season, but Deutsche Telekom has given up the right to change the name.

Deutsche Telekom is the largest corporate sponsor of Bundesliga, which is Germany's top football league, and the company had been reviewing its sponsorship deals in a cost-savings move to save EUR 5 billion by the year 2010.

"DFL and Deutsche Telekom will continue their partnership," a DFL spokesman said.

That sponsorship allows Deutsche Telekom to have its logo, a pink T, on the sleeves of players' jerseys as well as on the fourth officials' indicator boards.

Deutsche Telekom would not give a reason for its decision but it would have had to pay EUR 15 million per season to change the name and another EUR 10 million to display its logo on the jersey's sleeves and on the boards.

"We have had intense talks and agreed this decision would be best," said a Deutsche Telekom spokesman.

Deutsche Telekom has the right to broadcast all Bundesliga games via broadband Internet, but it does not have the rights to broadcast matches via satellite or cable television.

This is more economical for the company since the company pays less but it can broadcast the games on mobile phones and display its logo on players' jerseys.

Rights to the games on cable and satellite television, including public broadcasts in pubs and bars, went to broadcaster Arena. This was a blow to German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere, which previously owned the rights.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.