Czech league puts title sponsorship rights out to tender

Czech betting company Fortuna currently puts its name to the country's top two men's soccer leagues.

Czech soccer’s governing league body has initiated a search for a title sponsor across its top two men’s decisions.

The Ligové Fotbalové Asociace (LFA) has unveiled a tender for these rights – currently held by Czech betting firm Fortuna – for the 2024-25 to 2028-29 cycle.

The body announced this tender for the 16-team league on Friday (March 1).

The deadline for interested parties to apply is March 22, with prospective title sponsors also set to put their names to the Czech men’s second tier.

It has been reported that Fortuna is currently paying close to CZK80 million ($3.4 million) per year for those rights and that the LFA wants to tie up rights for the next five seasons by the end of April. Fortuna has been the league's title sponsor since the start of 2018-19.

Fortuna's contract is understood to include a matching right clause which will allow it to renew its deal with the league if it is willing to match the highest offer.

Other firms to have unveiled interest in the title sponsorship rights include Tipsport and Betano. Tipsport was reported last year as saying it would offer up to CZK150 million for title sponsorship.

The 2023-24 Fortuna Liga, currently headed up by Sparta Prague, will culminate in late May.

The league is domestically broadcast by pay-TV’s O2 TV, through a deal unveiled in June 2021. In November, that same network extended rights through 2028-29.