SportBusiness Staff

European Commission drops claim that public service broadcasters go beyond their remit by buying and broadcasting sport on an exclusive basis

Ice hockey: Canadian public-service broadcaster CBC retained the rights for live coverage of the US National Hockey League in a six-year deal that will keep its flagship Hockey Night in Canada programme…

Football: UK commercial operator ITV and pay-broadcaster Setanta acquired the rights for the FA Cup knock-out competition and England national team matches in a four-year, £425m (€623m) deal with the En…

Viewer numbers fall but audience share increases during unseasonably hot weather

Centralisation of Uefa Cup rights leads to doubling of fees revenue

Lack of top German competitors has led to a large drop in audiences since last rights sale

Tennis: Asian broadcaster Ten Sports sublicensed coverage of the finals of this year’s French Open tournament to rival pay-operator Zee Sports.

Football: Spanish free-to-air broadcaster Cuatro sublicensed the non-exclusive rights to at least seven matches from the upcoming World Cup from rival broadcaster La Sexta in a deal worth €20m (£14m).

Football’s Champions League final was not the only major sporting event in May to attract good viewing for broadcasters around Europe.

Swedish commercial broadcaster TV4 has acquired a 51-per-cent stake in cable and satellite channel SportExpressen.f