Analysis

Supersport is now the largest funder of sport in Africa, according to parent company Naspers, which announced its six-month results last week.

IMGpulled out of its deal to distribute the worldwide television rights to the A1GP motor racing series just weeks after agreeing the deal in September, TV Sports Markets has learned.
Golf

Golf’s US PGA Tour had to offer BSkyB an eight-year deal in order to satisfy its minimum rights fee expectations, another example of the tough conditions prevailing in the UK market.
Rugby Union

UK audiences for this year’s rugby union autumn internationals were both up for the second year in succession.

Golf

Golf: UK pay-broadcaster BSkyB acquired the rights for the US PGA Tour in an eight-year deal from 2010 to 2017, paying an estimated $90m
Football

Football: Indonesian commercial broadcaster RCTI and sister channel Global TV sublicensed the rights for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from PT Electronic City Entertainment, the original licensee

The IOC will look to sell the free-to-air rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics in Latin America on a country-by-country basis after walking away from what are understood to have been difficult talks with its traditional partner, the Organización de la Televisión Iberoamericanas.

Football

Conto TV scored a victory this week when Serie B presidents agreed to re-tender the rights to the second division in a manner which would allow smaller broadcasters a greater chance to compete.
Football

The international rights sales of English football’s Premier League continues to throw up interesting outcomes.
Football

The Premier League achieved an increase of some 15 per cent in Hong Kong after pay-operator I-Cable surprised observers by bidding strongly to retain the rights it lost three years ago.
Football

HiTV successfully expanded its hold on Premier League rights in Nigeria with an opening round offer.
Football

The Belgian Pro League is considering plans to set up its own television channel after its long-standing rights partner, national telecoms provider Belgacom, said that it no longer needs the rights exclusively.
Football

The success of Fifa in attracting a record television rights fee in China in its recent deal for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups may owe something to the IOC and the success of the Beijing Olympics.

Formula One television audiences in Spain and Italy fell drastically this year, reflecting disappointing performances by Spanish driver Fernando Alonso and Italian car manufacturer Ferrari.

Football

Football: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV acquired the rights for all Fifa events between now and 2014, including the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, in a deal worth about $125m (€83m).
Cricket

Cricket: Entertainment Sports & Direct acquired the theatrical rights for the Indian Premier League in a 10-year deal from 2010 to 2019, paying Rs3.3 bn ($70m)

The decision this week to suspend the media rights deal between Lega Calcio and Sky Italia was based on a questionable – and probably flawed – interpretation of European competition law, according to legal experts.
Cricket

The Nimbus Communications agency’s newly extended deal for Indian cricket could guarantee the safe future of its broadcast subsidiary, Neo, for the best part of a decade.