United States: NBC Sports out of bidding for Major League Soccer TV-rights after 2015

The US free and pay TV group NBC Sports will not take part in the bidding for the TV rights to the MLS (North American professional football league) and the American national team home games after 2015, the company announced on the 10/01/2014.

"We've enjoyed our partnership with MLS. Don Garber (commissioner of the league) and his team are building something very positive, and we wish them well," said NBC Sports in a report sent to the American media Sports Business Daily, on the 10/01/2014.

NBC Sports holds the TV rights to the MLS in English, in the United States, for the seasons 2012, 2013 and 2014 for an estimated amount of 10 million per season (€ 7,3 million) paid to the North American league. Pay-TV channel ESPN ($ 8 million, € 5.9 million) co-broadcasts the MLS in English in the United States, while Univision group holds the domestic rights in Spanish ($ 9 million, € 6.6 million).

• The media and marketing rights of the MLS and the US national team are managed by SUM (Soccer United Marketing).
• The tender for the broadcasting rights in English of the MLS and the men's…