5 Mai 2024
Reading time 2 min 40 s
Euro 2024, the scene of epic national rivalries, sees broadcasters competing like modern gladiators to conquer the screens. Every second counts in this media competition, where audacity, creativity and perseverance transform each match into an unforgettable television spectacle, thus enriching the celebration of European football.
Euro football, initially the European Nations Cup in 1956, had its first championship in 1960, making Henri Delaunay's dream come true, envisaged since 1927. Transformed into the European Football Championship in 1968, it adopted an initial format with two groups of four teams, the winners of which face each other in the final.
The growth has been exponential, growing from 4 to 8 to 16 teams in the 1990s before reaching 24 participants in 2016. Each edition splashes history with landmark performances, crowning legends such as the National Mannschaft , triple victorious in 1972, 1980 and 1996. Spain, equally flamboyant, won in 1964, 2008 and 2012, while France, proud of its successes in 1984 and 2000, continues to write its glorious saga.
In this epic, emblematic figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo, with his 25 matches and 14 goals, and Michel Platini, posting 5 matches for 9 goals, wrote their names in golden letters in the annals of Euro football. Their exploits embody the passion, talent and competitive spirit that animate this grandiose celebration of European football, bringing together millions of fans around the same fervor for the king of sport.
Sports rebroadcasting has undergone a remarkable evolution from its beginnings in the 1930s to the present day. Initially reserved for special events due to technical and financial constraints, it gradually became more popular thanks to the improvement of broadcast technologies in the 1950s and 1960s. Recording on magnetic tape from the 1960s marked a rotating, allowing regular replays of matches for spectators who missed the live broadcasts.
The advent of digital formats in the 1980s and 1990s made mass distribution and reproduction of recordings easier, paving the way for DVDs and Blu-ray discs. The era of the internet and streaming in the 2000s revolutionized access to past matches, giving fans the ability to watch them at any time, on various devices and from anywhere in the world. Today, live replays are also popular, giving viewers the flexibility to watch their favorite matches at their convenience.
TF1 and M6 have reached a major agreement by acquiring the free-to-air broadcast rights to Euro 2024 and the 2022 Nations League. This strategic decision represents an investment of 55 million euros, an increase of 5 million compared to their previous participation, where they secured broadcast rights for 22 matches.
This acquisition only concerns France, where TF1 and M6 are audiovisual giants. However, other European countries also have their own broadcast deals for these major European football events.
For example, in Germany, broadcasters such as ARD and ZDF have traditionally acquired free-to-air broadcast rights for major sporting events such as the Euro and the Football Nations League. In Spain, Mediaset España or RTVE could be major broadcasters for these competitions.
In England, channels like BBC and ITV have often shared free-to-air broadcast rights for the Euro and other international tournaments. In Italy, Rai and Mediaset Premium were also involved in the broadcast of these sporting events.
Each country has its own broadcast agreements and major broadcasters, with varying investment amounts and strategies to cover these competitions which captivate millions of viewers across Europe while hoping to make these investments profitable through significant advertising returns.