China

The major agencies are battling to add to their football federation portfolios in the countdown to the Euro 2012 qualifying draw next month.

The international rights sales of English football’s Premier League continues to throw up interesting outcomes.

The success of Fifa in attracting a record television rights fee in China in its recent deal for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups may owe something to the IOC and the success of the Beijing Olympics.

Football: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV acquired the rights for all Fifa events between now and 2014, including the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, in a deal worth about $125m (€83m).

Indian broadcaster Zee is in the process of completing its takeover of Dubai-based sports broadcaster Ten Sports.

Baseball: Chinese broadcasters Shenzhen TV, Jiangsu TV and Beijing TV acquired packages of rights for Major League Baseball matches in 2009 and 2010 in deals with Major League Baseball International,…

A takeover of Saudi-owned Middle East pay-broadcaster Arab Radio and Television by Qatar-based Al Jazeera Sports is likely to still go ahead, according to industry insiders.

The success of new-media coverage in Chinese Taipei of last year's Beijing Olympics has helped the IOC secure its first-ever Winter Games deal in the country.

Boxing: German public service broadcaster ARD extended its television rights deal with boxing promoter Sauerland for one more year, taking it to the end of 2012, paying about €14m ($21m).

The collapse of a sublicensing deal designed to boost the English Premier League’s exposure in China has highlighted the difficulties facing the league as it attempts to get both good coverage and high revenues in its next television rights deal.

Speculation is mounting that Singapore’s two rival pay-broadcasters may bid jointly for the English Premier League rights when they come on the market.

Football: Italian satellite broadcaster Sky Italia acquired the live satellite rights for all Serie A matches from 2010-11 to 2011-12 in a deal with Lega Calcio. Sky will pay €580m ($824m) a season.

In monetary terms at least, no-one will emerge a winner should the present impasse in Formula One between eight of the 10 teams and FIA president Max Mosley lead to the creation of a breakaway series.

Football: Spanish media group Prisa agreed a deal with the Mediapro agency for the exclusive pay-television rights of one La Liga match each week, to be shown on Prisa’s Canal Plus premium channel, and t…

Asian Games: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV acquired the rights for the 2010 Asian Games in Guangdong, China, in a deal with the Games’ organisers. CCTV will undertake the host broadcasting of the event.

The stunning success of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV’s coverage of the Beijing Olympics last year paved the way for its record television rights deal for the 2010 and 2012 Games.

American Football: US digital satellite platform DirecTV extended its deal for the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket package in a four-year deal, from 2011 to 2014, with the National Football League

Athletics: The IMG agency acquired the international television rights for the newly-created Diamond League in a five-year deal, 2010 to 2014, guaranteeing around $6m (€4.7m) a year.