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A TV camera on the sidelines: fans don't have to get used to the four matchdays, at least not in the round of 16
Photo:
Robert Michael / dpa
Eight game dates spread over four days and two weeks – never before have the round of 16 games in the DFB Cup been as fragmented as this season.
The reason for this is the new media contract, which in return gives football fans more live broadcasts on free TV than ever before.
Three of the eight games in the round of 16 will be broadcast on free-to-air television:
FSV Mainz 05 – Bayern Munich (8.45 p.m., February 1, ARD)
Eintracht Frankfurt – Darmstadt 98 (8:45 p.m., February 7, ARD)
VfL Bochum – Borussia Dortmund (8.45 p.m., February 8, ZDF)
All games on January 31st and February 1st, 7th and 8th are shown by the pay TV channel Sky, kick-off is either at 6 p.m. or 8.45 p.m., no games are taking place at the same time this time.
The round of 16 begins on Tuesday with VfB Stuttgart's appearance at second division club SC Paderborn (6 p.m.).
From 8.45 p.m. Union Berlin welcomes VfL Wolfsburg.
In the future quarterfinals on four evenings
The media contract with the DFB is valid until the 2025/2026 season.
Sky broadcasts all 63 encounters.
ARD and ZDF had secured 15 games per season.
That's two more games than previously broadcast on Erste and Sport1.
In addition, the two public broadcasters are allowed to broadcast extensive highlight programs.
The rights acquired by ARD and ZDF also include clip exploitation on the Internet.
Highlights of all games are also available from midnight on the streaming provider Dazn and from 6 a.m. on the following day on Sport1.
In the 2023/2024 season, the quarter-finals will be spread over four evenings.
That was actually planned for this season.
But there is an exception because of the Winter World Cup in Qatar.
More individual games promise more income for the clubs.
The DFB has already increased those from rights exploitation by more than 20 percent per season, as stated in a statement without further details.
According to estimates, the association received around 55 million euros per season from the old TV contract.
Including foreign marketing and sponsoring, the DFB is taking in almost 100 million euros this season, according to dpa information.
In the current season in the DFB Cup, however, such high bonuses as never before are to be distributed to the clubs, the DFB announced.
All games at a glance:
round of 16
Tuesday, January 31, 2023:
SC Paderborn – VfB Stuttgart (6 p.m.)
Union Berlin – VfL Wolfsburg (20.45)
Wednesday, February 1, 2023:
RB Leipzig – TSG Hoffenheim (18.00)
FSV Mainz 05 – Bayern Munich (20.45)
Tuesday, February 7, 2023:
SV Sandhausen – SC Freiburg (18.00)
Eintracht Frankfurt – Darmstadt 98 (20:45)
Wednesday, February 8, 2023:
1. FC Nuremberg – Fortuna Dusseldorf (18.00)
VfL Bochum – Borussia Dortmund (20:45)
Quarterfinals
April 4 and 5, 2023
semifinals
May 2nd and 3rd, 2023,
final
June 3, 2023 in Berlin
ngo/dpa
