4.5.2022
The leaders of the Croatian Football Association, Hrvatski Telekom, and SuperSport signed today in Zagreb an agreement on television and marketing rights for matches under the auspices of the Croatian Football Association.
The signing ceremony of the agreement by which Hrvatski Telekom became the owner of television and SuperSport of marketing rights for matches owned by the Croatian Football Association took place in the Opera Hall of the Westin Hotel in Zagreb. Contracts run from the beginning of the 2022/23 season until the end of the 2025/26 season.
It is the most valuable agreement for television and marketing rights in the history of domestic club football. During the four contracted years, Hrvatski Telekom will invest EUR 36 million for television rights, while SuperSport will invest a total of EUR 8 million for marketing and betting rights. The Croatian Football Association has thus ensured as much as 44 million euros over four years for domestic football.
"I thank the management of Hrvatski Telekom and SuperSport present here for their trust and the respect they have shown towards domestic football with such a significant investment. We are especially pleased to sign such vital agreements with companies that are proven friends and partners of Croatian football. It gives us additional faith that together, we will make our First League and also other competitions even stronger, more attractive, and better. It is not necessary to emphasize how much these funds will mean for our first leaguers and other clubs in Croatia - this is the most important agreement related to domestic club football in history and confirms its market value. I am optimistic that this value will continue to grow thanks to this agreement and that this significant investment will pay off for our partners as well", said HNS President Marijan Kustić.
"I am thrilled that we continue our long-term cooperation with the HNS. We always strive to provide our users with the best sports content, and Croatian football falls into that category because it is content dear to the fans of all Croatian clubs. With our renewed four-year partnership with HNS, we are laying the foundations for the further growth of Croatian football clubs, with the aim of even more competitive competition and better matches in production and on the leading pay TV platform in Croatia", pointed out Kostas Nebis, President of the Management Board of Hrvatski Telekom, and a member of the Management Board, Nataša Rapaić added: "Croatia is a sports nation, and football has a special status and significance. The Croatian football league has never been so interesting. We are pleased that HT can transfer this excitement and positive emotions to the Croatian audience. These are our values as a company - connectivity, positivity, and creating new opportunities".
SuperSport has become the owner of marketing and betting rights, and satisfaction with the signed agreement was expressed by a member of the SuperSport Management Board Goran Đurić:"We are proud that SuperSport has become a direct partner of Croatian football, in which we have invested significantly before. I believe that we all agree that our football league has never been more interesting, and we are convinced that this agreement will enable the further development of clubs and domestic competitions. I thank HNS for the trust, and we are looking forward to working together with the Federation and Hrvatski Telekom on further marketing, commercial, and media growth of domestic football. "
"Football is the most popular, most important, and most-watched sport in Croatia. The First League proves to be equally watched and important by spectators and our players as the strongest football competitions in the world, such as the Champions League. That is why we are delighted that today we signed such a valuable contract that will enable our football to continue to grow, which is visible by all criteria. We are proud to provide our players with the highest quality content as market leaders", added SuperSport Management Board Member Radim Haluza.
"For HNS, particularly Croatian clubs, the agreement we signed today is truly of historical importance. I would like to thank our partners, Hrvatski Telekom, and SuperSport, for their trust, but also congratulate all the clubs that, with their work, with the support of the Federation, raised the quality and interest of the competition to the level that we can sign such an agreement. An important role in increasing the league's attractiveness was played by HNS's first league turf renovation project, which shows that for all of us - clubs, the Federation, and local communities - further development of stadium infrastructure should be a strategic determinant so that the value of our 'product' continues to grow", emphasized HNS's Executive Director Tomislav Svetina.
After signing the agreement and a toast, the leaders of HNS handed over one first and one reserve jersey of the world runners-up - the Croatian national football team - to the leaders of Hrvatski Telekom and SuperSport with the numbers 2022 and 2026, which together show the duration of the agreement signed today.