Richard Welbirg

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has recouped CNY200m (€27.3m/$30m) of its outlay on the Rio Olympics in digital rights deals this week.

Download the latest edition of Watching Brief Round-up of UK sports television audiences including overnight ratings for the Open Championship and the Uefa Euro 2016 final and semi-finals.

The Perform Group told TV Sports Markets its deal for Japan’s J-League represented “great value” compared to many domestic football leagues, despite a rights fee four times higher than the previous value.

Cricket Australia improved its exposure and income from North America in a series of deals with NBCSN, Willow and the Asian Television Network.

Thai media company BEC World paid a massive premium to acquire International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) rights in the country.

Interview with Simon Denyer, chief executive of the Perform Group, on its acquisition of J-League rights for 10 years from 2017 to 2026.

LeSports has become the first Chinese internet operator to secure English Premier League rights in the upcoming 2016-17 season.

MP & Silva has made a small profit on its most recent English Premier League sublicensing deal in Asia.

Mediapro last week acquired the remaining two packages of domestic Spanish LaLiga rights for the three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19, after a second round of bidding.

Strong competition drove up the value of rights to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Ireland this week, despite a much worse time zone than in 2015.