Analysis
Parliamentary scrutiny on Olympic impasse in Germany
German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are unlikely to change their position over free-to-air rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games, despite being subjected to questions in parliament this month over their hard-line negotiating tactics.
Canal Plus Afrique makes first major domestic league play
Canal Plus Afrique made its first major investment in a domestic African football league earlier this month, acquiring rights to the Côte d’Ivoire Ligue 1.
Formula E opts for Channel 5 in return for first UK rights fee
Motorsport’s Formula E secured its first rights fee from the UK market in a deal agreed earlier this month with commercial broadcaster Channel 5.
Econet bolsters motorsport rights portfolio with WRC deal
African telco Econet Wireless has completed a deal for World Rally Championship media rights in sub-Saharan Africa, further expanding its motorsport portfolio.
Media rights value in the top European football leagues, 2016-17
An interactive data report which shows the value and growth across the top European leagues including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League
Uefa to focus on free-to-air deals as EBU plays a pragmatic role
Uefa’s latest deal for its national team rights in Austria is evidence of a change in strategy for sales in Europe from 2018-19, as European football’s governing body attempts to meet its targets for both revenue and exposure.
ISG beats Perform and Sportradar to Serie A rights
New sports-rights agency Interregional Sports Group beat rival offers from betting rights specialists Sportradar and Perform to pick up domestic betting rights to Italy’s Serie A.
Handball league awaits offers as Sport1 ties up other properties
The German handball league, the Handball-Bundesliga, will receive bids for its domestic media rights one week from today, TV Sports Markets understands.
Enemies become friends in ‘rational’ rights-sharing switch
Industry experts believe the Portuguese sports-rights market is set to stagnate for the foreseeable future after the country’s three biggest telcos took equal stakes in dominant pay-television broadcaster Sport TV, ending any possibility of competition between them.
India becomes ‘two-horse race’ after Sony buys Ten Sports
Sony Pictures Networks India’s acquisition of the Ten Sports channels is likely to restrict the Indian media-rights market and make life difficult for rights-holders below the top tier.
NBA nets bumper deal in Hong Kong as LeSports replaces PCCW
National Basketball Association media rights soared in value in Hong Kong by more than 500 per cent this week as LeSports displaced incumbent rights-holder PCCW.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai channels share cost of Gulf league rights
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.
DB Video to extend Belgian league deal despite struggles
DB Video will extend its contract for media rights to Belgium’s top-tier basketball league for a further season despite losing money on the current deal, TV Sports Markets understands.
MP & Silva successfully holds out for Serie A increase in Turkey
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.
Lagardère opts for JTBC and grows value of AFC in Korea
Asian Football Confederation rights have increased in value by 86 per cent in South Korea after cable-television broadcaster JTBC outbid the country’s free-to-air cartel.
Introduction of Red Star Kunlun yet to stimulate Chinese market
Red Star Kunlun’s entry as the first Chinese team in the Kontinental Hockey League has helped the league massively increase its exposure, but is yet to have any impact on its bottom line.
TV2 hungry for content as it adds MotoGP to sports portfolio
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.
Watching Brief (Vol.131) Special Focus: 2016 Olympic Games
David Svenson, research analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence, examines television audiences in selected European markets for the 2016 Olympic Games.