Africa
High-flying HiTV blitzes rivals in quest for 1m subscribers
HiTV successfully expanded its hold on Premier League rights in Nigeria with an opening round offer.
TV Rights Deals 2: Football – World Cup in China and latest Premier League deals
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).
FASTRACK
Indian broadcaster Zee is in the process of completing its takeover of Dubai-based sports broadcaster Ten Sports.
The talk from Monaco
A takeover of Saudi-owned Middle East pay-broadcaster Arab Radio and Television by Qatar-based Al Jazeera Sports is likely to still go ahead, according to industry insiders.
TV Rights Deals 1: Football – EBU’s 2012 deal, English League Cup and more
Football: The European Broadcasting Union acquired the rights for Euro 2012 in 36 countries in a deal with Uefa, European football’s governing body.
TV Rights Deals 1: Football: La Liga, Bundesliga, Premier League and more
Football: Indonesian pay-broadcaster Telkomvision acquired a package of Serie A rights for the 2009-10 season in a one-year deal with the MP&Silva agency, renewing an existing deal
TV Rights Deals 1: Football: Serie A, La Liga, Uefa, Africa Cup of Nations and more
Football: Italian satellite broadcaster Sky Italia acquired the live satellite rights for all Serie A matches from 2010-11 to 2011-12 in a deal with Lega Calcio. Sky will pay €580m ($824m) a season.
ESPN profits as USA goes all the way in South Africa
The USA team’s unexpected run to the final of Fifa’s Confederations Cup earned cable broadcaster ESPN its highest non-World Cup audience for a national team match.
TV Rights Deals 1: Football: La Liga, Champions League and Bundesliga deals
Football: Spanish media group Prisa agreed a deal with the Mediapro agency for the exclusive pay-television rights of one La Liga match each week, to be shown on Prisa’s Canal Plus premium channel, and t…
TV Rights Deals 2: IAAF, Major League Baseball, cycling, golf and handball deals
Asian Games: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV acquired the rights for the 2010 Asian Games in Guangdong, China, in a deal with the Games’ organisers. CCTV will undertake the host broadcasting of the event.
Nigeria to curb sport spending
Moves by Nigeria’s government and broadcast regulator could make it increasingly difficult for the country’s pay-television broadcasters to continue paying big money for international sports rights.
FASTRACK
The Premier League is set to stagger its next international rights sales process in a move that will rule out what was always a remote possibility of someone making a worldwide bid for the rights.
Ligue 1 returns to Asia for phase two
Canal Plus Events are to begin a second phase of international rights sales, targeting more deals in Asia and increased free-to-air coverage in Africa.
TV Rights Deals 1: Football: World Cup, Champions League, Copa del Rey
Football: Pan-African pay-broadcaster Supersport acquired the sub-Saharan pay-television rights for all Fifa events in 2009 and 2010, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2009 Confederations…
TV Rights Deals 2: Athletics, baseball, basketball, cycling, golf and more
Athletics: The IMG agency acquired the international television rights for the newly-created Diamond League in a five-year deal, 2010 to 2014, guaranteeing around $6m (€4.7m) a 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…
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.