Belgium
TV Rights Deals 1: Football: Premier League deals in Europe and AFC extension
Football: Indonesian commercial broadcaster RCTI and sister channel Global TV sublicensed the rights for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from PT Electronic City Entertainment, the original licensee
League ponders channel plan but clubs are restless
The Belgian Pro League is considering plans to set up its own television channel after its long-standing rights partner, national telecoms provider Belgacom, said that it no longer needs the rights exclusively.
EXQI plans mired as cable dithers over channel choice
The launch of EXQI Plus has been delayed, affecting coverage of Uefa’s second-tier Europa League competition, rights for which the new channel acquired earlier this year.
TV Rights Deals 2: The latest Diamond League, Euroleague and cricket deals
American Football: Pay-television broadcaster Telenet acquired the rights in Flanders for the National Football League in a four-year deal with the IMG agency from 2009 to 2012
Armstrong comeback boosts Le Tour audiences
The return of Lance Armstrong to this year’s Tour de France looks to have played a key role in driving strong television audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
TV Rights Deals 1: 2010 World Cup, Uefa and other deals
Football: Portuguese commercial broadcaster SIC sublicensed the rights for 18 of the 56 matches from next year’s Fifa World Cup from public-service broadcaster RTP.
FASTRACK
The fate of UK pay broadcaster Setanta was hanging by a thread late this week, as TV Sports Markets went to press.
New competition draws out fresh Belgian bidders
The Belgian tender for Uefa’s new Europa League competition has coaxed two new bidders to make their first significant steps into the international sports rights market.
Belgacom blasts BeTV blow-out
An extraordinary situation has arisen this week in Belgium, whereby the climax of the top-tier domestic football league will be shown by BeTV, a rival of the league’s main broadcaster, Belgacom TV.
TV Rights Deals 1: Football: Uefa deals, Belgian Pro Ligue and Greek Superleague
Football: Australian public-service broadcaster SBS and pay-channel ESPN acquired the rights for Uefa club competitions the Champions League and Europa League in a three-year deal, from 2009-10 to 2011-12,…
Proactive ACB finds it pays to go exploring
Spain’s top-flight basketball league has tripled its distribution deals and rights fee revenue only one year after launching an in-house marketing drive to increase international exposure.
FASTRACK
The lack of government legislation in India over news access to sports events is provoking further tension between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Nimbus Communications agency.
TV RIGHTS DEALS 1: Greece, Israel, World Cup Qualifiers and more
Football: Greek commercial broadcaster Antenna acquired the rights for top Greek club Olympiacos’ home first round match in the Uefa Cup and its two home group stage matches, paying €1.605m (£1.25m)
FASTRACK
News in Brief
TV RIGHTS CLIPS 1: Belgian league, Champions League and Uefa Cup
Football: Portuguese mobile operator Optimus acquired exclusive mobile rights in Portugal to Uefa’s Euro 2008 championships, in a sublicensing deal worth close to €1.2m
Pro Ligue deal finally meets the right Standard
A new television rights deal for Belgium’s top-tier domestic football league was finally agreed this week
Collapse of UPC-Canal Plus deal is bad for both sides
UPC will have to delay plans to launch sports channel in Netherlands