AMC Networks brings EHF Champions League exclusively to Hungary

EHF Marketing GmbH, the marketing arm of the European Handball Federation, has announced it has reached an agreement with AMC Networks International – Central Europe to broadcast the EHF Champions League and other EHF European Cup events in Hungary beginning with the 2015/16 season.

The deal, brokered by MP & Silva, the international media rights company, turns Hungarian TV channels Sport1 and Sport2 into the exclusive home for Europe’s most prestigious club handball events. Sport 1 and Sport 2 will broadcast all games involving Hungarian teams, more than 130 matches per season in total and will furthermore produce additional programming around their live broadcasts.

Peter Vargo, Managing Director of EHF Marketing, says: "Hungary is a very strong market for both men’s and women’s handball. We are very much looking forward to our cooperation with AMC Networks, and we are confident that we have found a partner that is able to lift the handball coverage in Hungary to the next level."

Levente Málnay, CEO of AMC Networks International – Central Europe, says: "We are proud to be the Channel of Champions. The VELUX EHF and the WOMEN’S EHF Champions League are new programmes to our channels, and Sport1 and Sport2 will bring the games to the vast majority of Hungarian households. We guarantee that the TV production, the hype around these games will match the fantastic recent performances of the Hungarian teams."

In the past two seasons MKB-MVM Veszprém reached the VELUX EHF FINAL4 twice; Győri Audi ETO KC won the WOMEN’S EHF Champions League in the 2012/13 and the 2013/14 season and MOL-Pick Szeged took home the Men’s EHF Cup in 2014 and reached the quarter-final of the VELUX EHF Champions League in the 2014/15 season.

The first games on air on Sport 1 and Sport 2 will be Győri Audi ETO KC’s quest to qualify for the WOMEN’S EHF Champions Group Matches via the qualification tournament on 12 and 13 September. National champions FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria, Hungary’s second participant in the WOMEN’S EHF CHAMPIONS League, are already qualified for this first phase.

With MKB-MVM Veszprem in Group A and MOL-Pick Szeged in Group B, there are also two Hungarian teams present in the VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/16. They will play their first matches in the middle of September.

About AMC Networks International - Central Europe

AMC Networks International - Central Europe, an operating unit of AMC Networks International, is a leading international company in the field of broadcasting and distribution of thematic television channels with a focus on the Central and Eastern European markets. The current AMCNI - Central Europe portfolio includes 13 television brands in 4 genres. Sport: Sport1, Sport2, SportM, Kids: Minimax, Megamax, Infotainment: Spektrum, TV Paprika, Spektrum Home and Film: AMC, Film Mania, Film Café and Film+. The channels are programmed for local audiences, languages and markets, and are available on numerous platforms including HD, on-demand and mobile devices.

AMC Networks International (AMCNI), the global division of AMC Networks, delivers entertaining and acclaimed programming that reaches subscribers in more than 140 countries and territories, including Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. AMCNI consists of global brands, Sundance Channel and MGM Channel, as well as popular, locally recognised channels in various programming genres. For more information, visit: www.amcnetworks.com/amcni.

About EHF Marketing GmbH

EHF Marketing GmbH is the marketing arm and a subsidiary of the European Handball Federation. The company works closely with marketing and media partners, as well as with Europe’s leading clubs to realise the full potential of the sport on the international sports market. EHF Marketing GmbH is responsible for the marketing and media rights of club competitions including the VELUX EHF Champions League, WOMEN’S EHF Champions League and the Men’s EHF Cup.

MP & Silva was appointed by EHF Marketing GmbH in June 2013 to be its exclusive international distributor of the media rights of its top club competitions for a seven-year period.