RTL to offer remedies, likely to win early EU approval for Sky Deutschland bid, sources say

Industry:    3 days ago

European broadcaster RTL is set ​to offer remedies in the coming days to address EU ‌antitrust concerns over its acquisition of Sky Deutschland, in a move likely to help it secure early regulatory approval for the deal, three people with direct ​knowledge of the matter said.

The acquisition will combine two ​of Europe’s strongest media offerings in sport and entertainment in ⁠a battle to catch up with U.S. heavyweights Netflix, Disney ​and Amazon Prime in Germany.

The purchase would give RTL, which is majority-owned ​by German media group Bertelsmann, local access to Sky’s premium sports rights including Bundesliga and Premier League soccer, and Formula 1 motor racing, as well as ​Sky’s WOW streaming service.

RTL could table remedies to the European Commission ​as early as Friday, two of the three sources said. They said a possible ‌remedy ⁠is outsourcing advertising sales to third parties, an area on which antitrust regulators usually focus.

That would automatically extend the Commission’s preliminary review deadline of April 8 by 10 working days. RTL will likely win ​EU approval at ​the end of ⁠this preliminary scrutiny, the people said.

The Commission, which acts as the EU competition enforcer, declined to ​comment.

RTL said it does not comment on ongoing proceedings.

“We ​are working ⁠constructively with the European Commission and are confident that the acquisition of Sky Deutschland (DACH) will be approved and closed in the first half ⁠of ​2026,” the group said in an email.

Comcast-owned ​Sky Deutschland operates in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

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