Asia

Australian motor-racing series the Supercars Championship has secured new international broadcast rights deals, and has launched a new mobile application, for its 2017 season.

Greater free-to-air exposure and a deep understanding of Asian media-rights markets has helped One Championship create a “global duopoly” in mixed martial arts, according to its chairman Chatri Sityodtong.

Chinese retail giant Suning’s sporting subsidiaries are filling gaps in the country’s media-rights market left by the retreat of streaming operator LeSports.

Online streaming company PPTV has agreed an exclusive deal for domestic digital media rights to the Chinese Super League club football competition.

The German Football League (DFL) has entered into a strategic partnership with Baidu, through which the top-tier Bundesliga competition will have an official presence on the network of the Chinese web services company.

DAZN chief executive James Rushton has apologised for the failings of the service during the opening round of the J.League football season in Japan, and said it will be “very aggressive” in pursuing key sports rights in Germany.

Indian pay-television operator Zee Entertainment Enterprises has today (Tuesday) said the first phase of the sale of its sports business, Ten Sports, to media group Sony Pictures Networks India has been completed.

US media company NBCUniversal has expanded the global reach of its Golf Channel network by agreeing new distribution agreements in Japan with OTT digital platform AbemaTV and pay-television broadcaster Wowow.

China Sports Media has acquired rights in the country for Asian Football Confederation events after the governing body terminated an agreement with LeSports, which is operated by Chinese internet company LeEco.

The Asian Football Confederation has terminated its media-rights deal with LeSports, which is operated by Chinese internet company LeEco, according to the Reuters news agency.

Japanese pay-television broadcaster J Sports has acquired rights to motor-racing series the World Touring Car Championship.

Sales processes have been launched for the rights in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia to Uefa national team football properties.

New Indian pay-television channel DSport is set to compete in the forthcoming tender process for rights to Twenty20 cricket competition the Indian Premier League.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports will launch cable-television and IPTV channels in Taiwan early next month after boosting its rights portfolio by sealing a deal with the Lamigo Monkeys Chinese Professional Baseball League team.

Indian television experts have questioned the viability of pay-television channel DSport – a partnership between Discovery Communications and Indian broadcast executive RC Venkateish which launched in India last week – in its current form.

Striking a digital rights deal is thought to have helped Tennis Australia earn a large increase in Japan for the 2017 Australian Open.