UEFA pays broadcasters for Euro 2008 blackout, says German report

UEFA has agreed to pay compensation to broadcasters who lost live pictures as a result of a power blackout during a Euro 2008 match, Germany’s Spiegel news magazine reported.

Football’s organizing body in Europe has agreed to pay
“a high six-figure sum” to the German public broadcaster ZDF, according to the report released in advance of Monday’s publication. All broadcasters affected will be paid unspecified compensation, according to the report.

A thunderstorm over Vienna led to a power black-out during the semi-final between German and Turkey, with some broadcasters losing sound and pictures for 18 minutes. Millions of football fans worldwide missed much of a thrilling climax to the match in Basle, Switzerland, as Germany beat Turkey 3-2 to reach the final.

The storm over Vienna caused a power outage in the International Broadcasting Centre in the Austrian capital, and an emergency generator also failed to work.
German viewers missed six minutes of the action before ZDF received a feed from Swiss television which had its own line to the stadium.

ZDF recorded an average 29.46 million viewers for the match, but said it missed out on an all-time viewing record as a result of the blackout.

Source: Media Network, DPA