Saudis tip the scales in battle for tennis’s future but Masters hold the key
The future of professional tennis – structurally and commercially – will be decided in the coming weeks. On one side are the ATP and WTA tours; on the other, the four Grand Slams. Investment from Saudi Arabia appears to have tipped the balance in favour of the tours.
EXCLUSIVE: ATP and WTA on course for historic merger
The ATP and WTA are understood to have reached consensus on key issues that would enable the two entities to combine their commercial interests, paving the way for a historic merger.
Migu deal gives Chinese Super League stability after five years of crisis
The five-season deal unveiled in February between the Chinese Super League and telco China Mobile has almost doubled the media-rights income of the league.
Uefa nets big increase for national team rights in Africa
Uefa enjoyed a substantial increase in the value of its national team rights in sub-Saharan Africa in the recent round of sales, with revenues up, on an annualised basis, by about 70 per cent.
New World TV, MMS, SportyTV: new players shaking up African rights market
In the last three to four years, the sports media industry in sub-Saharan Africa has seen an influx of new players who are challenging established operators and entrenched myths about how business works in the region.
Caf finances back on track after New World TV deal and beIN renewal
The Confederation of African Football completed a series of deals before Christmas which have put its precarious finances back on an even keel after several difficult years following the cancellation of its $1bn, 12-year contract with the Lagardère Sports agency.
Uefa and Fifa cash in on New World TV’s disruption of African market
Uefa and Fifa benefitted from the aggressive entry into the African sports-rights market of New World Television, the Togo-based pay-television operator, to enjoy strong uplifts for club competition and World Cup rights, respectively.
Canal Plus-MultiChoice merger would cool super-heated African rights market
Sub-Saharan Africa has become the hottest sports-rights market in the world, but that dynamism could be brought to an abrupt halt if the proposed merger between France’s Canal Plus and South Africa’s MultiChoice goes ahead.
Multiple hurdles for Diamond before Amazon’s ‘brilliant, brilliant deal’ can begin
Amazon’s proposed agreement with Diamond Sports Group to secure local streaming rights to US sports leagues has been hailed as a “brilliant, brilliant deal”, though approval of the plan is far from certain.
Serie B’s Balata: Fifa/Uefa ‘gigantism’ harms domestic league revenues
Mauro Balata, president of Italy’s second football division, Serie B, has called on football’s governing bodies to be more aware of the negative impact their constant expansion of competitions has on the value of domestic leagues.