DAZN and J.LEAGUE extend Japanese broadcasting rights contract until 2033

  DAZN and the Japan Professional Football League (J.League) will extend their existing 12-year partnership by five years until 2033, with the aim of further developing and elevating Japanese football together.

In 2022, both J.League and DAZN started anew with new leadership management, as Yoshikazu Nonomura was appointed as the new J.League Chairman, and Shay Segev fully in force as CEO of DAZN Group as well as in Japan, Manabu Yamada as Executive Vice President of DAZN Japan, responsible for Japan business. Under the new leadership, DAZN and the J.League have held various discussions over the past year to further develop Japanese football. Sharing a firm vision for their respective growth and looking ahead to the next ten years, they have signed a partnership agreement extending the contract, which was extended to 2028 in August 2020, for a further five years for a domestic broadcasting rights agreement in Japan until 2033.

The agreement includes changes to DAZN broadcasting rights fees due to the extended period and further refinements to the profit-sharing model introduced in 2020, allowing both parties to develop from continued mutual growth to a healthy business and benefit respectively from each other’s growth.

We also reminded each other that the growth of the J.League is essential to facilitate this growth. For this growth to have speed and agility, we agreed to have J3 League rights to be retained by J.League after 2024 season to enable reach to wider audience and grow fan base.

DAZN will continue to provide fans with a premium viewing experience of the J1 and J2 leagues, while the J.League will work on measures to bring the J3 League to as many people as possible in order to expand its fan base.

DAZN, together with the J.League, will work even more closely with the J.League to see the bright future of Japanese football, and will continue to strive to deliver the pinnacle sports viewing experience to football and sports fans in Japan.

■Comments on contract agreement

■Japan Professional Football League (J.League) Chairman Yoshikazu Nonomura

“Since the beginning of my tenure as Chairman, DAZN and I have had a number of discussions about how best to continue growing together. In order for the J-League to grow into a more attractive league based on our new strategy, DAZN has agreed to expand the number of free-to-air match broadcasts. We feel that increasing the number of opportunities to experience the J-League in various forms, including the J3 League, which will now be retained by the J-League, will lead to an expansion of the fanbase and create a new partnership that will be win-win for the J-League and DAZN.”

■DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev

“Launched as our first market in 2016, DAZN has grown into the biggest digital sports platform in Japan. The success of the Japanese business is vital to DAZN’s overall strategy, and this agreement reinforces our valued relationship with the J.League. This partnership is the foundation of our business in Japan. We are delighted to extend until 2033, and our continued investment will further contribute to the development of Japanese football together with the J.League.”

■DAZN Japan Executive Vice President Manabu Yamada

“The J.League has been one of DAZN’s most important partners since our launch, and we know is very important content for sports fans in Japan. The success of the J.League is the success of DAZN Japan and under the new leadership of both parties, we will continue to build an even better relationship, actively implement various new initiatives to promote the growth of the J.League and do our utmost to make the J.League even more exciting for fans to enjoy.”