China

Le Sports, which is operated by Chinese internet company LeTV, has acquired exclusive digital media rights in the country for the ATP World Tour men’s tennis series’ Masters 1,000 and 500 tournaments.

Chinese video streaming platform iQiyi made an aggressive move into sport this month, acquiring digital rights in major deals with the PGA Tour and the Women’s Tennis Association.

The Asian Football Confederation will enjoy a huge increase in the value of its rights in China in its new deal with Le Sports.

The Sina Sports division of Chinese internet operator Sina has acquired exclusive rights in China to broadcast the International Premier Tennis League franchise-based competition.

The Pac-12 US college sports conference has expanded its rights partnership with Chinese internet company LeTV.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has furthered its drive into the country’s digital media market by agreeing a deal to acquire online video platform Youku Tudou.

Online video platform iQIYI has agreed a long-term deal to become the official digital rights partner of the Women’s Tennis Association in China.

Online video platform iQIYI has struck a deal to become the official digital streaming portal in China for golf’s PGA Tour.

Le Sports has acquired rights for Asian Football Confederation events in a deal that has given the Chinese internet company a 20-per-cent stake in the Lagardère Sports agency’s Asia-focused division.

China Sports Media’s huge deal with the Chinese Super League is a gamble on the expansion of the country’s digital rights market and the government’s plans to build football into a major national sport.

Chinese internet company LeTV Sports has agreed a five-year media rights partnership with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) covering China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Chinese media group Ti’ao Power has acquired the domestic broadcast and production rights to the Chinese Super League club football competition in a five-year deal, from 2016 to 2020.

UK production company Sunset+Vine has secured an extension to its media and distribution contract for the Extreme Sailing Series and has sealed new rights deals for the yachting series.

The son of Wang Jianlin, chairman of Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda, plans to establish a new streaming platform dedicated to eSports, according to the South China Morning Post.

German Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich has signed a global media partnership with specialist digital football platform Goal.com.

China’s booming digital sports rights market has helped the Premier League, LaLiga and Uefa’s Champions League earn impressive returns in recent months from a historically difficult market.