NOVA PREPARES NEW MONETISATION MODEL FOR ONEPLAY AND AIMS TO RETAIN KEY SPORTS RIGHTS

Nova is getting closer to launching a new ad-supported subscription tier for its Oneplay video platform. The move will also introduce a new approach to advertising sales across linear and digital viewing. Nova plans to reveal the details this autumn. At the same time, Nova CEO Daniel Grunt expects the cost of sports broadcasting rights to continue rising.

Nova Group is preparing to introduce an advertising-supported model for its Oneplay video platform. As part of this initiative, it is also developing Max Reach, a project designed to connect advertising sales across linear television and digital viewing.

Another upcoming change will be restrictions on ad-skipping in catch-up viewing. Nova will, however, disclose the full details when it presents its commercial policy for 2027 this autumn.

At the same time, the broadcaster expects competition for sports rights to intensify. According to Nova Group CEO Daniel Grunt, the launch of rival channel Prima sport is likely to increase competitive pressure.

Speaking to MediaGuru.cz following Nova Group’s autumn programming press conference, Grunt also indicated that the company would not rule out collaborating with other broadcasters when acquiring sports broadcasting rights.

Nova announced in June that it was preparing to launch an ad-supported tier for Oneplay. According to our information, you are also developing the Max Reach project, which is expected to connect digital and linear advertising in some form. Can you tell us more about it?

It is still too early to go into detail. We will present the full concept together with our new commercial policy for next year, which we will announce during the autumn.

Will that also include details on ad measurement and options for buying advertising across both linear TV and Oneplay?

Yes. All commercial aspects will be presented as part of the new commercial policy.

We will also provide details of the consumer proposition, including the pricing of ad-supported subscription tiers, how many tier options will be available, the amount of advertising inventory, and other related parameters.

All of this will be announced well ahead of the launch.

Will you also announce restrictions on ad-skipping in catch-up viewing at the same time?

It is already public knowledge that operators have received the relevant information.

From mid-November, viewers should no longer be able to fast-forward through advertising. This is the first step towards enabling us to subsequently monetise this inventory through advertising sales.

The notification to operators has already been issued, and we can confirm that. We will, however, provide the detailed information together with our commercial policy.

Your competitor Prima is now launching a new sports channel, Prima sport. Nova already has an established portfolio of Nova Sport channels and, following the merger with O2 TV, also Oneplay Sport. Acquiring rights to premium competitions has required significant investment. How difficult will it be to retain those rights? Does Prima have the potential to win some of them away from Nova?

We will have to see.

Prima is at the beginning of its journey and needs to build its sports channel around strong properties and brands. I therefore expect it will actively compete for attractive rights packages.

Which will push the price of rights higher.

More broadly, this confirms a trend we are seeing worldwide.

Sports rights are becoming more expensive, particularly due to pressure from streaming platforms. International services often acquire global rights to individual competitions, typically including US leagues such as the NHL and others.

This leads to a certain degree of market fragmentation, because fans increasingly need to use several different services to follow the competitions they are interested in.

The NFL is a typical example, where viewers often need subscriptions to multiple streaming or cable services in order to access all games.

That is a development we are somewhat concerned about in the Czech market.

We can expect competition to intensify, and this may also be reflected in rights pricing. Our objective is to continue offering Oneplay users the most attractive sports broadcasts, tournaments and events in one place.

That does not necessarily mean that all rights need to be carried under the Oneplay Sport or Nova Sport brands.

We already distribute a number of other sports channels today, including Eurosport, Sport1 and Sport2, and that model will continue.

My goal is to retain the key brands and local rights, because these are particularly important to the value proposition and brand perception of Oneplay.

If an opportunity emerged, would you be interested in acquiring any rights currently held by Česká televize (Czech Television)?

It is difficult to say whether such an opportunity will arise.

For example, Česká televize secured the rights to the Ice Hockey World Championship for the next rights cycle without us having an opportunity to participate in the relevant tender.

Generally speaking, however, we monitor what becomes available in the market, and any sport or major sporting event with strong audience appeal is of interest to us.

We will always seek to acquire such rights where the commercial terms make economic sense for us.

Could you also imagine jointly acquiring rights with Prima? For example, could Prima obtain some UEFA Champions League matches from Nova?

The situation regarding UEFA Champions League rights for the next three-year cycle, beginning next year, has not yet been finalised, so it will depend on how the process develops.

It is not our strategy or intention, but I can imagine circumstances in which it could make sense to cooperate with another broadcaster on certain competitions — whether that is Česká televize or another partner.

Source: MediaGuru.cz