Americas

Private equity firm Providence Equity Partners will pull out of the running to acquire IMG following its deal to purchase a majority stake in rival agency Learfield Communications, according to the New York Post newspaper.

Ice hockey’s Atlantic Hockey Association will receive national exposure this season after the CBS Sports Network pay-television channel, which is operated by US network CBS, acquired rights to two games from the organisation.

Canadian broadcast group Asian Television Network has signed five-year broadcast rights deals with four major international cricket boards.

Sporting News Media, part of digital sports media company Perform Group, has announced an online video rights agreement with American football league the NFL.

The CBS Sports division of US network CBS has agreed a sublicensing deal with the Fox Sports division of the Fox network to televise basketball games from the Big East college sports conference from 2013-14 to 2018-19.

The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has said that it plans to be an “active participant” in talks over a new media rights deal for the Big Ten Conference college sports organisation.

Argentina and Brazil football legends Diego Maradona and Romario have joined forces to attack the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), saying they will form a commission to investigate the distribution of revenue throughout the region, with media rights at the forefront of discussions.

Mexican media group Televisa and commercial broadcaster TV Azteca have confirmed a three-year extension to their rights deal with American football’s NFL.

US cable-television channel CBS Sports Network, which is operated by the CBS network, has acquired rights to the World Touring Car Championship’s American event, which takes place at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced plans for a new sports channel to be launched in the country.

US network CBS and cable-television provider Time Warner Cable have reached an agreement to end their programming dispute and resume broadcasts in the New York, Los Angeles and Dallas markets.

Major League Soccer club Chivas USA has announced new local television rights deals with broadcasters KDOC and MundoFOX22 KWHY-TV through to the end of the 2013 season.

US cable-television operator Time Warner Cable Sports has agreed a three-year regional television deal with college sports’ Mid-American Conference.

Mixed martial arts promoter the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Mexican media group Televisa have announced that their new UFC-dedicated pay-television channel will launch on September 1 across 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.

US media group NBCUniversal has confirmed Rhys Beer is to take up the newly created role of vice-president of sports distribution and business development at the company.