Infront seals free-to-air handball deal with ORF in Austria

Handball fans in Austria will be able to watch national team competitions live on terrestrial television until at least 2024 after Infront announced a new media rights agreement with Austrian public broadcaster ORF.

The new deal means coverage of the 2020, 2022 and 2024 EHF EUROs and all EHF EURO qualification away matches of the Austrian men’s and women’s national teams will be available on free-to-air television.

The announcement of the new deal comes 50 days before the start of the Men’s EHF EURO 2020 which Austria co-hosts with Norway and Sweden. The tournament will be covered extensively across all of ORF’s channels, with two preliminary matches featuring the national team set to be ORF 1.

Hans-Peter Trost, Head of Sports ORF, said: “It is part of ORF's self-image that important tournaments and sports events taking place in Austria are to be seen on ORF and do not disappear behind payment barriers.

“Of course, this also applies to the European Handball Championship 2020, which will also take place in Vienna and Graz. Organisers and athletes alike will thus have the best possible media platform and sports fans will be able to enjoy top handball sports made in Austria for free.”

Bernd Rabenseifner, General Secretary ÖHB, said: “For many years, the international matches of the women’s and men’s national team have been an integral part of Austria’s largest TV channel, ORF.

“We are therefore delighted that ORF has also acquired the rights to the EHF EURO 2020. This ensures that the biggest EURO of all time will be shown in the usual quality, optimally presented and free of charge for all handball and sports fans.”

EHF Secretary General, Martin Hausleitner, added: “As we are looking at 50 days to go to the Men's EHF EURO 2020, this is great news for all handball fans in Austria - not only for the upcoming championship, but also well beyond the event and through to 2024.

“The deal guarantees free-to-air-coverage and underlines the potential for the further growth and development of the sport.”

EHF EURO 2020 throws off on 9 January, with Austria’s first match in the competition against Czech Republic in Vienna a day later.