Americas
TLN and Univision pick up Pan Am Games rights in host nation
Canadian pay-television broadcasters TLN and Univision Canada have acquired Spanish-language rights to the 2015 Pan American Games multi-sport event, which will be held in Toronto next year.
NLL signs US, Canadian rights deals and launches online streaming service
North America’s National Lacrosse League has agreed rights deals for its 2015 season with US sports broadcasters Universal Sports Network and ESPN, along with Canadian pay-television broadcaster TSN, and will launch a new online subscription platform.
UFC awards next cycle of rights in Canada
The Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts series has awarded rights in Canada to pay-television broadcasters TSN, RDS and Fight Network.
Time Warner Cable to introduce new sports charge for customers
US cable-television operator Time Warner Cable is set to introduce a new subscription fee for sports programming, according to the Charlotte Observer.
TSN, RDS and beIN Sports score Uefa rights in Canada
Canadian pay-television sports broadcaster TSN and French-language sister network RDS, along with pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports Canada, have acquired rights to the Uefa Champions League and Europa League club football competitions.
DirecTV nets broad deal with Fiba’s Liga de las Americas
Pan-regional pay-television broadcaster DirecTV has secured exclusive broadcast and naming rights to the Liga de las Americas club competition in a deal struck with basketball’s world governing body, Fiba.
New York City FC agrees Yes Network partnership
Major League Soccer expansion franchise New York City FC has announced a multi-year agreement to make regional pay-television sports broadcaster Yes Network its exclusive local television partner ahead of its 2015 debut in the North American club football competition.
IOC wraps up Rio 2016 rights with Cuban deal
The International Olympic Committee has completed its rights sales for the 2016 summer Olympic Games after agreeing a deal with Cuban state broadcaster Instituto Cubano de Radio y Televisión.
DirecTV snaps up Fifa rights across the Caribbean
Pan-regional pay-television broadcaster DirecTV has acquired exclusive rights in the Caribbean for events operated by Fifa, football’s global governing body.
MLS newcomer Orlando strikes local broadcast deal
The Orlando City franchise has struck a rights deal with local broadcaster WOFL-TV FOX 35 ahead of its entrance into North America’s Major League Soccer.
DirecTV to relaunch VOD service
Satellite-television provider DirecTV has relaunched its video-on-demand streaming service in Latin America following its success during the 2014 Fifa World Cup national football team tournament, according to the Rapid TV News website.
Cubs strike local rights deal
WLS-TV/ABC7 Chicago, a local television station owned by the ABC network in the US, has acquired rights to games featuring Major League Baseball franchise the Chicago Cubs.
Universal Sports Network to show ASP surfing events
US sports broadcaster Universal Sports Network has reached an agreement with the Association of Surfing Professionals to provide live or same-day coverage of its remaining events in 2014.
ESPN Player to deliver College Football Playoff in Europe
Pay-television broadcaster ESPN is to deliver coverage of the new US College Football Playoff collegiate American football competition to audiences in Europe via ESPN Player, its live and on-demand sports streaming service.
Sky Mexico secures long-term FEI rights agreement
Pay-television broadcaster Sky Mexico has struck a new long-term rights deal with the FEI, the global governing body of equestrian sports.
US networks and agencies team up to fight college athletes’ class action suit
US networks CBS, ESPN, Fox and NBC, along with the IMG and WME agencies, have joined forces to apply for the dismissal of a legal action brought by a group of college American football and basketball players, claiming it would mean “chaos” for sports broadcasting.
McGlarry takes top job at MLB Network
Major League Baseball has confirmed the appointment of Rob McGlarry as the new president of its MLB Network pay-television service.
CBS and Dish Network extend carriage deal
US satellite-television company Dish Network has agreed a multi-year extension to continue its carriage of the CBS network’s various stations and cable channels, including the CBS Sports Network pay-television service.