Australia

Australian public-service broadcaster SBS has renewed its deal for non-exclusive rights to the national rugby union team’s ongoing matches for roughly the same annual fee.

Cricket Australia has agreed a deal with financial services company Commonwealth Bank to provide a global live stream of a women’s Ashes Test for the first time.

The New York Racing Association has joined forces with FS1, a channel operated by the Fox Sports division of US network Fox, to broadcast coverage of this year’s edition of the Melbourne Cup Australian horse racing event.

Australian public-service broadcaster SBS has acquired rights to the national rugby union team’s upcoming tour of the UK.

Seven chief executive Tim Worner has said that some of the Australian commercial broadcaster’s sports-rights acquisitions will deliver a lower-than-expected return on investment.

Cricket Hong Kong has entered into a partnership with professional services company Accenture and Cricket Australia that will result in the development of new digital media platforms for the revived Hong Kong World Sixes tournament and the Hong Kong T20 Blitz.

The W-League, the top tier of women’s club football in Australia, has secured free-to-air exposure through a rights deal with public-service broadcaster SBS.

UK racecourse owner and operator Arena Racing Company (ARC) has secured new rights deals with omni-channel content solutions provider Vermantia and Australian wagering company Tabcorp and has also extended a partnership with the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS).

Social media platform Twitter has extended its deal with the Victoria Racing Club and Australian commercial broadcaster Seven to live stream the 2017 Melbourne Cup to a domestic and global audience.

The National Rugby League, the sport’s top division in Australia, has teamed up with domestic rights partner, pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports, to launch a new direct to consumer streaming product for the international market.

Tennis Australia, organiser of the Australian Open, has extended and expanded its broadcast partnership with Chinese streaming platform iQiyi for the grand slam tournament.

Mamamia, an Australian women’s lifestyle website, has sealed a deal to show the Women’s Big Bash League Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Coverage of the A-League will be available worldwide during the 2017-18 season after the IMG agency unveiled an expanded rights distribution footprint for the top tier of Australian football.

Financial problems at its free-to-air partner Ten led Formula One Management to strike a new deal in Australia, handing much more exclusivity to pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports.

Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has acquired exclusive Formula One rights as part of a new agreement with the motor-racing series.

Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has agreed a new five-season rights deal in Australia for competitions organised by the English Football League, which operates the three divisions below the top-tier Premier League.