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Bundesliga International renews deals with Indonesian broadcasters MNC, Telkomsel

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Bundesliga fans in Indonesia can keep up to date with the fortunes of Kevin Diks – the first Indonesian player to feature in Germany’s top-flight – after Indonesia’s largest media company MNC extended its partnership with Bundesliga International in a deal which includes showing all Borussia Mönchengladbach games free-to-air this season.

Diks, 28, was born in the Netherlands and qualifies to play for Indonesia through his mother. The centre-back has joined Mönchengladbach from Danish side FC Copenhagen and made his Bundesliga debut a week last Sunday, keeping a clean sheet in Gladbach’s season opener against HSV.

Football fans in Indonesia can watch all of Mönchengladbach’s league matches at no cost after Bundesliga International signed an extension with broadcast giants MNC, who will screen all Gladbach games on their Free-To-Air channels RCTI and iNews.

MNC is Indonesia’s biggest media conglomerate, reaching millions of homes throughout Indonesia each week. As part of the renewed agreement, Bundesliga International will continue to leverage MNC’s network of channels to broadcast the German top-flight exclusively across subscription, Free-To-Air (FTA) and Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms.

All nine Bundesliga matches will be available each matchday on MNC Media. Furthermore, up to four Free-To-Air matches will be broadcast, including on RCTI, consistently ranked as the most-watched TV channel in Indonesia.

There is more good news for Indonesian Bundesliga fans as Telkomsel are also renewing their broadcast deal with Bundesliga International to show every game next season in Germany’s top-flight. The matches will be available on IndiHome TV, via its AllPlay Sports Channel 700.

On the pitch, Diks is relishing his first campaign at Borussia Mönchengladbach, nicknamed Die Fohlen, with Indonesian fans able to tune in thanks to MNC and Telkomsel.

The move to the Bundesliga is a big step for me in terms of sport: tougher competition, a larger environment, a new challenge. I was eager to take on this challenge,” said Diks, ahead of his first Bundesliga season.

“I was given a great welcome by the entire team in Mönchengladbach. We had an intensive preseason, and it’s all about giving it our all in the Bundesliga. I will continue to improve personally and thus contribute to our successful football as a team and winning as many games as possible.”
It has been a busy time for the Bundesliga in Indonesia with a series of summer football clinics held on newly-upgraded playing facilities in Jakarta as part of the Bundesliga Common Ground project. This was conducted in collaboration with EA FC Futures, as part of an initiative to invest in global football.

Indonesian Bundesliga fans were also able to come together during numerous matchday watch parties to cheer on their favourite clubs.

Other highlights last season included a mini-Bundesliga Experience at the national finals of the Piala by.U high-school futsal championships in collaboration with Telkomsel’s IndiHome, who also brought the Bundesliga to the Mahaka Sports Fest, which gave fans an authentic taste of German league football.

“The Bundesliga is by far the fastest growing of the European leagues in Indonesia, with a ten per cent jump in both interest and followers compared even to last season,” said Peer Naubert, Chief Executive Officer of Bundesliga International.

“Local initiatives like the Bundesliga Common Ground and regular watch parties, alongside working with the Indonesian FA (PSSI), prove how passionate we are about taking Football As It’s Meant To Be directly to support the development of football at all levels, and extending our broadcast deals with two trusted partners only reinforces our position as a leader in the market.”