Callum McCarthy

A gentlemen’s agreement between media groups belonging to the governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai means the United Arab Emirates Pro League’s media-rights income will remain flat.

The MP & Silva agency has secured a solid increase in the value of Serie A media rights in Turkey, but will wait to see how the market develops before committing to a deal for more than one season.

Hungarian broadcaster TV2 has made aggressive moves into the sports-rights market in recent weeks, acquiring English Premier League, National Hockey League and MotoGP rights.

African telco Econet has continued to spend its billion-dollar sports-rights acquisition budget in recent weeks, buying Formula One, National Football League and Brazilian football rights.

The Infront Sports & Media agency will pay about double its current outlay for Champions Hockey League media and marketing rights in a bid to have greater control over the competition, TV Sports Markets understands.

Independent pay-television broadcaster Football TV has ridden out the country’s tough media market since the rouble crashed in late 2014, and believes it could be in a position to thrive over the next three years.

Canal Plus Afrique’s French-language deal for English Premier League rights is a landmark moment for the league, as its rights are now more expensive than the more locally-relevant French Ligue 1.

Political turmoil, arguments over price and the beginning of Turkish Süper Lig negotiations has created a logjam in the Turkish sports-rights market, badly affecting rights-holders including the International Olympic Committee and the English Premier League.

Pay-television broadcaster Azam TV is rethinking its expansion plans in sub-Saharan Africa, having shifted its focus to its home market of Tanzania.

Pay-television broadcaster Premier Sports is close to renewing its deal for National Hockey League rights in the UK for which it will pay an increase of about 25 per cent, TV Sports Markets understands.