Analysis

The Pitch International agency bought out Board of Control for Cricket in India international rights after Viacom18 opted for a guaranteed income over attempting to sell the rights itself.

The media rights value of Uefa club competitions from 2024-27 is tracking toward a significant cycle-on-cycle increase compared to 2021-24 as Uefa, Team Marketing and Relevent Sports Group are yet to suffer a decrease in any of their deals completed thus far.

The international media rights ITT released on Friday for Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and Trophée des Champions leaves scope for the league to retain a strong involvement in selling rights in-house but also does not preclude a global agency deal.

Viacom18 acquired exclusive rights to the ISL at the base price, with Reliance Industries, which majority-owns both entities, key to the long-term sustainability of the league.

TF1 secured exclusive rights in France to the Uefa Women’s Euro 2025 after agreeing to pay a slight increase on the previous total fee.

The English Football League released its international media and betting streaming rights RFP on Monday, making its content available to broadcasters and agencies up until the end of 2028-29 – the season from which the Premier League had intended to sell the EFL’s international rights as part of a wider English club football package that would include the FA Cup.

South Korean e-commerce company Coupang secured exclusive streaming rights in South Korea to Formula 1 at a fee which shows the motor-racing series still has plenty of room to grow in the market.

Relevent Sports Group chief executive Daniel Sillman speaks to SportBusiness about the refinement of its US soccer business and the company's expansion into Europe.

The Saudi Pro League is on course to earn about $15m per season for its international media rights for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, taking its total global media rights income to about $100m per season.
USA

The streaming aspect of the deal between Disney and cable company Charter Communications may have set the groundwork for future deals involving other carriers and networks.

Bundesliga International, the DFL’s international arm, will pass €300m in international commercial revenues next season, Peer Naubert, its chief marketing officer, has told SportBusiness Media.

Uefa and Team Marketing have prevented the first media rights income decrease of the 2024-27 cycle, splitting residential and ‘horeca’ rights in Spain to eke out a marginal uplift.

Vietnamese sports marketing agency Next Media renewed its rights for the German Bundesliga, this time alongside the VMG Media agency, after agreeing to pay a slight increase on the previous deal.

The value of EuroLeague rights in Spain is set to fall for the first time since 2013 as limited competition in the market allowed Telefonica to secure a reduced price for the rights.

South Korean e-commerce company Coupang secured exclusive Asian Football Confederation rights from 2025 to 2028 after agreeing to pay a significant uplift.

Talks were underway this week between CAF and beIN Media Group to find a resolution to their contract dispute, following the former’s decision to cancel its 12-year, $415m deal with the broadcaster.

The move by FEI to take its media rights in-house at a time of cost-cutting from broadcasters has led the federation to look to ways to maximise media value for sponsors, its chief commercial revenue source.
USA

The ubiquity of streaming and the rise of WFH lifestyles has turned the Uefa Champions League’s daytime window in the US into a blessing, helping Relevent Sports Group more than double its media rights value from 2024-25 onward.