Americas

Flow TV, the Caribbean pay-television broadcaster owned by telco Cable & Wireless, has acquired exclusive live rights for football’s Fifa World Cup qualifiers in the region.

US pay-television broadcaster CBS Sports has extended a rights deal with the National Collegiate Athletic Association for the Division II men’s and women’s basketball semi-finals.

US pay-television sports broadcaster Universal Sports Network is to close down next month, with its rights being transferred to media company NBCUniversal.

Video-sharing website YouTube has unveiled a new subscription service that will enable users to access original and exclusive video content.

Polish pay-television operator NC Plus has agreed a two-season extension to its exclusive rights deal with North American basketball league the NBA.

Concacaf, the governing body of football in the Caribbean, North America and Central America, has followed the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) in ending its commercial rights partnership with the Datisa joint venture company in relation to the 2016 Copa América Centenario national team tournament.

US sports broadcaster ESPN has said it will cut about 300 jobs, with chief executive John Skipper stating that while the demand for sports remains undiminished, the landscape the company operates in has “never been more complex.”

Canadian public-service broadcaster the CBC has acquired rights for the 2022 and 2024 Olympic Games in partnership with telecommunications companies Rogers Communications and Bell Media.

NBA, the North American basketball league, has signed a five-season extension to its partnership with Sony-owned Indian broadcaster Multi Screen Media, from 2016 to 2020.

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) has taken over control of broadcast and sponsorship rights to the 2016 Copa América Centenario national team tournament.

The NBC Sports Digital division of media company NBCUniversal has launched a new project that focuses on the production of short-form original digital content for various platforms.

The Mediapro agency has expanded the reach of its Formula One channel in Mexico ahead of the return of the motor racing championship to the country by agreeing a carriage deal with pay-television provider Axtel.

The World Surf League has agreed a rights partnership with US pay-television broadcaster Universal Sports Network.

The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has expanded a rights deal for coverage of the Bundesliga, the top division of football in Germany.

Online video platform provider RR Media has launched a dedicated sports media service platform, solaRR Active.

Social networking service Twitter suspended the accounts of websites Deadspin and SB Nation on Monday evening after American football league the NFL filed notices relating to their use of copyrighted video highlights.