Americas
USA Network ousts Fox to win back rights to WWE’s Smackdown
World Wrestling Entertainment's showpiece Friday Night Smackdown programming is to move from Fox back to USA Network after a five-year exclusive rights deal was struck with NBCUniversal
NFL posts highest opening ratings since 2016
The National Football League's viewership in the United States continues to have a strong start to the new season, recording its highest ratings across the first two weeks since 2016 with an average of…
WBD adds Max sports streaming tier targeted at users ‘under 30’
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports has unveiled a Bleacher Report (B/R) Sports add-on tier to its rebranded US streaming service Max
ESPN sets sights on securing strategic investment and renewing NBA rights
ESPN is now laser-focused on investment conversations and retaining domestic National Basketball Association rights after completing a tough carriage renegotiation with Charter Spectrum, its president…
WNBA 2023 regular season sets multiple records
The Women's National Basketball Association set multiple records during the 2023 regular season, including drawing the league's best viewership in 21 years
NFL opening weekend, college football score major US viewership
The return of the National Football League, combined with a strong slate of college games, drew major audiences across US television, including a record for Monday Night Football on ESPN
Champions League’s massive American increase ‘opens the door’ for US-hosted final
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.
Disney, Charter Spectrum reach new deal to end NFL blackout
Disney and Charter Communications have announced a new multi-year distribution deal that restores select Disney stations, including ESPN, to Spectrum's customers
NFL sorts Sunday Ticket spat in US territories, wagering set to soar in new season
Pay-television operator DirecTV is to continue offering the out-of-market streaming service NFL Sunday Ticket in the United States territories of Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands, despite having lost…
Disney ‘ready to resolve’ Charter dispute as US Open finals and NFL season approach
Disney has moved to put the pressure on Charter Spectrum to end their carriage dispute, highlighting two major sporting events that will not be available to the latter's customers
US Soccer renews archive, licensing deal with Veritone
US-based artificial intelligence software and services company Veritone has signed a multi-year extension with US Soccer, continuing its role as the archive of record and licensing partner for the federation's…
‘Messi mania’ fuelling rapid take-up of Apple’s MLS Season Pass
Lionel Messi's arrival in Major League Soccer sent subscriptions to Apple's MLS Season Pass soaring, according to new figures released.
The tech company, in the first year of its 10-year, $2.5bn (€2.3
FBF wins court battle to retain domestic rights to Bolivia matches
Bolivia's football federation has been granted domestic rights to its national team's home Fifa World Cup qualifiers after a court against a claim from agencies Mediapro and Sports TV Rights, which bid for the rights in a tender earlier this year.
Lopez, Full Play have convictions thrown out in football bribery case
Hernan Lopez, the former chief executive at Fox International Channels, and the Full Play agency have had their convictions for attempting to bribe football officials in exchange for lucrative broadcasting…
College sports overhaul continues as ACC snares more Pac-12 schools
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) today (Friday) voted to add three schools to its league, including two more from the beleaguered rival Pac-12 which looks destined to fold in 2024
ESPN blackout for Charter Spectrum subscribers amid Disney dispute
A number of Disney channels, including sports broadcaster ESPN, went dark yesterday (Thursday) for Charter Spectrum subscribers amid a dispute over the terms of a carriage agreement.
Pluto TV adds to Copa Libertadores Femenina’s South American exposure
Pluto TV, the free, ad-supported streaming service owned by media group Paramount Global, will show the Conmebol Libertadores Femenina for the second successive year, after securing rights across Brazil…
Ratings growth and strategic alignment helped Nascar seal huge Xfinity Series deal
The CW’s deal for exclusive Nascar Xfinity Series rights in the US has made it the most valuable second-tier motorsport property in the world, teeing up an overall media rights fee increase for Nascar as it begins the final stages of negotiations for rights to the top-tier Cup Series.