Analysis
Super Bowl sets new TV record on Fox’s ‘greatest day’
Television audiences for America football’s Super Bowl last weekend increased significantly on both sides of the Atlantic.
Reality TV gives skating federation much-needed lift
EBU deal brings 10 per cent rights increase
ESS gets good start to cricket sales
Pan-Asian broadcaster ESPN Star has got off to a strong start in its global sales for International Cricket Council events
Ambitious Silva wants to be in agency elite in three years
Agency is close to deals for basketball and motorsport, plans aggressive bids for French and German football
Hungry Supersport leaves larder empty for new entrants
A new five-year deal for South African rugby is the latest example of pay-broadcaster Supersport’s land-grab of top rights
Kirch returns and EM.Sport grows for Bundesliga bid
EM.Sport acquisitions cover rights management, production, distribution
Euro costs the world
European rights fees for Euro 2008 reach same level as those paid for 2006 World Cup
Klitschkos join agency exodus
Seven senior executives have left since the Lagardère takeover
TVP could miss out on Euro 2008
A sublicensing deal between Polish commercial broadcaster Polsat and public-service broadcaster TVP over Euro 2008 rights is in danger of falling through
Serie A fees rise, but big jump must wait for next time
MP & Silva, Sportfive and Rai Trade agencies estimated to have brought in about €100 million overall for 2007-08 season
Consortia bidding takes Polish league to new heights
Polish football’s top-tier domestic league, the Ekstraklasa, signed the country’s largest-ever sports-rights deal last week
Bank gives little comfort for Kirch
Banker’s letter of comfort produced last week by Leo Kirch in support of his deal for German football’s Bundesliga rights
Jacobs increases Infront stake
Swiss-based investment group Jacobs Holding has become the largest shareholder in the Infront Sports and Media agency
Honours even as Canal Plus, Orange share Ligue 1 spoils
New rights deals agreed late this week by the Ligue de Football Professionnel for French football’s top-tier Ligue 1
Old-timer BSkyB puts pressure on newcomer Setanta
Setanta attracts average of 373,000 for first five live Premier League matches
FA tender to ignite ‘platform wars’ and double fees
Platform-specific packages aimed at pitting broadcasters against mobile and internet operators for new media rights
Financial war breaks out over La Liga rights
Sogecable suing Mediapro for €200 million for “pirating” the signal to four matches
Serie A the latest victim of colluding Japanese market
Top value Serie A rights sold in one-year deals - total rights fee looks set to fall