Analysis
ESS wants ICC to agree changes in eight-year deal
Changes sought to make rights easier to sell on
Five and BSkyB join bidders for Euro 2008
Bidders lack penetration required by UK listed-events legislation
Sportfive says new boss mustn’t be French or German
“Wanted: Chief executive for major worldwide sports agency with very good businesses in France and Germany. French and German nationals need not apply.”
Great cricket, lousy timing
The games may be great, but timing hits key audience
TV channels sue league after rights awarded to telco
The pay-television members of a consortium of broadcasters have begun legal proceedings against the Belgian football league after losing out in the award of the league’s television rights
Nine makes sure of cricket, and gets set for AFL
Cricket Australia has surprised television sports experts by not going out to tender when it awarded exclusive rights for Australian cricket to Nine network
ITV and BSkyB in fight for top UK boxers
The outlook for television boxing in the UK looks brighter than for a long time with commercial broadcaster ITV poised to commit to the sport
EC could have ‘devastating effect’
European Commission wrong to try to establish price control in the sports rights market through the use of state aid law.
Germany hits back at EC attack on sports rights
The German government has staunchly defended the sports rights policies of public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF
Rai has problems saving face
Rai wants to acquire the digital-terrestrial rights for the 2006 World Cup finals
Top Premier shows lose out as viewers learn to be choosy
Television audiences for football’s English Premier League have fallen for live and highlights matches
How BBC channel could be funded
The BBC has a number of options on funding
Extra radio channel shows way forward for BBC
The BBC could point to a regulatory precedent in starting a sports channel – though in radio rather than television
Why BBC sports channel must not be too popular
One of the key questions that Peter Salmon left behind when he quit as BBC head of sport last month was whether the BBC should launch a dedicated sports channel
Scandinavia pays Uefa 50% more
The Team Marketing agency has won an estimated 50-per-cent increase in Champions League television-rights fees in Scandinavia
French league’s demands likely to kill strong bids
The French football league’s tender for the next League Cup insists upon free-to-air civerage
Polish state TV faces hard job to get football-fee cut
TVP has approached Sportfive to try to re-negotiate its Polish national team deal
Alonso victories treble value of Spanish F1 rights
The value of Formula One television rights in Spain has more than trebled, as a result of the high ratings attracted by local driver Fernando Alonso