Analysis
No easy pickings as Sportfive navigates choppy waters
Sportfive’s acquisition of European rights for the 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games has landed it probably the most demanding and exciting project ever undertaken by a sports marketing agency.
Watchword must be ‘security’ as Uefa kicks off Euro tender
The Sportfive agency’s already strong position will be further boosted if it continues its relationship with Uefa to cover the rights for the Euro 2012 football championships.
FASTRACK
Sony is facing a massive loss on its coverage of India’s cricket tour to New Zealand, which started this week.
ITV asks sport: Can we pay you later?
ITV is trying to renegotiate payment schedules for its key football rights contracts as part of a company-wide drive to battle cashflow problems.
IBU resists lure of agency money to stay faithful to EBU
The IBU said that it was “an easy decision” to turn down an increase in rights fee in order to remain with its long-term partner, the EBU.
New law is lifeline for Mediapro in TV market crunch
A new Spanish broadcasting law published next month is expected to throw a lifeline to sports rights agency Mediapro.
Orange Sport strategy under threat
A court decision ruling that Orange’s exclusive carriage of its Orange Sport pay-television channel is anti-competitive could prompt a review of its sports rights strategy.
Rai keen to bounce back but Sky still owns the court
Rai wants to force a way back into coverage of club basketball after having been out of the picture several years.
WPP to wind up Global Sportnet
WPP is to wind up German-based sports rights agency Global Sportnet, following the departure of agency founder Thomas Martens, who resigned late last year.
TV Rights Deals 1: Football World Cup, European, African and Brazilian deals
Football: The Sportfive agency acquired the fixed-media rights to Fifa events in a four-year deal with international football’s governing body from 2009 to 2012, including the 2010 World Cup in South A…
TV Rights Deals 2: Sportfive’s Olympic deal, basketball, motor sport and more
Olympics: The Sportfive agency acquired the rights in 40 European countries for the 2014 Winter Games at Sochi and the 2016 Summer Games in a deal worth €250m ($315m) with the International Olympic Committee.
Setanta feeling the heat as cut-price strategy backfires
The ability of Setanta to successfully adjust its business model will arguably be the single biggest factor determining the shape of the UK sports rights landscape over the next five years.
Singapore planning to halt Premier League bandwagon
The Singapore government is considering legislation to prevent further escalation in the cost of English Premier League football rights when they come on the market later this year.
FASTRACK
The IAAF has begun a second round of talks for its European television rights after a cut-price opening offer from its incumbent partner, the EBU.
Mediapro takes Asia plunge after agencies say no
The Mediapro agency is set to sell the Asian rights for Spanish football’s La Liga directly to broadcasters across the region after failing to find an agency buyer.
Big-bidding TV4 takes no chances
Swedish commercial broadcaster TV4, renewed its deal for La Liga rights in the Nordic countries and Iceland after making an aggressive pre-emptive bid.
Proactive ACB finds it pays to go exploring
Spain’s top-flight basketball league has tripled its distribution deals and rights fee revenue only one year after launching an in-house marketing drive to increase international exposure.
Falling market drops South Africa fee
Asian broadcaster Ten Sports secured the rights for international cricket in South Africa despite reducing its initial offer by about $10 million.