Flanders Classic: RTL wins against RTBF which denounced an unfair rights granting procedure

RTBF also argued that the company Infront Sports “found guilty of abuse of dominant position”RTBF not having been informed of the negotiations.

RTBF attacks RTL over TV rights for cycling races

The court ruled that RTL Belgium acted honestly and in accordance with market rules to obtain the rights in question. The races in the Flanders Classics catalog will therefore be broadcast on the group’s channels from next year.

For RTL, this is an important decision. “This legal victory represents much more than a commercial issue for RTL Belgium. It confirms our commitment to diversifying access to large-scale sporting events for the French-speaking Belgian public.”mentions the group in a press release, indicating that the tests will be offered in clear, open access and free of charge. “RTL Belgium thus reaffirms its role as an open media, providing an alternative to the historic quasi-monopoly of RTBF in the broadcasting of cycling races in French-speaking Belgium”the press release further specifies.

RTL wins TV rights to Flanders Classics races from 2025

RTL Belgium has made cycling an important part of its sports offering whereas until now, on the French-speaking side, it was the preserve of RTBF. In addition to the Flanders Classics, the private group has also acquired stages of the Giro, the Tour of Italy, and the Tour of Switzerland.