SBS issued a statement on the collapse of negotiations over reselling the broadcast rights for the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup.
On the 22nd, SBS said in a statement, “Because JTBC announced to the media that negotiations over the World Cup broadcast fees have broken down, SBS regrettably cannot participate in the broadcasts.” The company added, “This is especially disappointing for SBS, which has carried every World Cup since its launch.”
SBS said it negotiated in good faith and was prepared to absorb a portion of the losses to uphold its public duty as a terrestrial broadcaster and to meet viewers’ expectations. It said it even offered 20% more than its original proposal and made every effort to reach a deal. “However,” the company argued, “the rights package proposed by JTBC raised contentious issues regarding digital rights, as has been pointed out repeatedly, and the fee would have posed a significant burden on the company’s financial health and shareholder value.”
SBS added, “While our public duty as a terrestrial broadcaster remains an important value, we could not ignore that, as a publicly traded company, we must carry out that role on a sustainable financial basis.” The broadcaster said it will work with relevant parties to develop a new, reasonable framework suited to the changed era and media environment—balancing public responsibilities with coverage of major sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics.
