China

The China Arena Football League has entered into a multi-faceted partnership with sports media, marketing and event management company HUPU ahead of the American football competition’s debut season.

US wrestling organisation TNA has agreed a rights deal with Chinese video sharing platform Youku, a subsidiary of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV and satellite broadcaster QHTV have signed on as partners of the new Chinese Triathlon League.

LeSports has become the first Chinese internet operator to secure English Premier League rights in the upcoming 2016-17 season.

Chinese internet company Tencent has agreed a six-season deal for digital rights to North America’s National Hockey League.

WWE’s exclusive distribution deal with Chinese digital operator PPTV marks a step change in the wrestling promotion’s approach to the Chinese market.

Interview with George Barrios, WWE’s chief strategy and financial officer, on the promotion’s media-rights deal with digital operator PPTV in China.

Chinese investment group CITIC Guoan has said it has made an investment of $20m (€18.1m) in US live-action virtual reality broadcast technology company NextVR.

Internet operator LeSports has agreed a one-season sublicensing deal with the Super Sports Media agency for English Premier League football rights.

Le Sports, which is operated by Chinese internet company LeEco, has entered into a strategic partnership with China Digital Culture (CDC), an investment holding company in the fields of entertainment and culture, to seek further cooperation in esports.

New Chinese OTT player Baofeng Sports’ first move in the sports sector was to acquire rights to the Chinese Super League.

Chinese OTT player PPTV pulled out of its deal for French Open tennis rights shortly before this year’s tournament began, TV Sports Markets understands.

Chinese platform ImbaTV has agreed a rights deal with Ali Sports, the operator of the World Electronic Sports Games esports tournament.

Le Sports, which is operated by Chinese internet company LeEco, has agreed a three-year deal for the exclusive digital media rights in China to the International Basketball Federation’s (Fiba) Stanković Continental Champions’ Cup national team tournament.

The WWE wrestling entertainment organisation has sealed a content distribution deal with Chinese online television service provider PPTV.

The Baofeng Sports International division of Chinese internet entertainment and technology provider Baofeng has acquired rights to the Chinese Super League club football competition and has also struck a partnership with the Chinese Basketball Association.