Eastern Europe

European football’s governing body Uefa has launched tender processes for broadcast rights to its Champions League and Europa League club competitions in Italy, Spain and Slovenia.

International media and entertainment company Discovery Communications has taken its free-to-air broadcast partner portfolio for the Olympic Games up to 20 through new agreements in Armenia and Kosovo.

Polsat has shocked the Polish sports-rights market by acquiring Uefa Champions League rights, paying a huge premium to wrest them from long-term incumbent NC Plus.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports has acquired exclusive rights in the United States to 14 darts competitions taking place between May and November.

Media and entertainment company Discovery Communications is faced with another carriage dispute after pan-European pay-television operator M7 Group said it will stop providing Discovery channels through its platforms by the end of the month if talks over a new deal do not come to a satisfactory conclusion.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has issued a fresh call for national authorities to come to the aid of its member, Bosnia and Herzegovinian Radio and Television, as the operator continues to struggle with funding issues.

The Modern Times Group media company has completed the sale of a 50-per-cent stake in Czech commercial broadcaster FTV Prima Holding to Denemo Media.

Football’s English Premier League has stepped up its efforts to prevent piracy of its content by partnering with digital platform security specialist Irdeto.

The International World Games Association has become the latest global sporting body to partner with the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Channel.

The AMC Networks International Central Europe division of US entertainment company AMC Networks has extended a rights deal for the Formula One motor-racing world championship.

Golf Channel has launched in Poland through a carriage deal with pay-television service Cyfrowy Polsat.

Modern Times Group, the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster, has continued its transformation effort by selling off its free-to-air television, pay-television, digital and radio businesses in the Baltic region to US private equity investment firm Providence Equity Partners.

Modern Times Group, the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster, has agreed a five-year extension to its rights deal with the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) for the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Strong competition and Robert Lewandowski’s decision to remain with Bayern Munich drove a big increase in the value of Bundesliga pay-television rights in Poland last month.

Esports company ESL and virtual reality entertainment platform Sliver.tv have unveiled their latest joint initiative by stating they will launch the first virtual esports stadium experience.

Polish public-service broadcaster TVP has paid an increase of over 40 per cent to acquire rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games from media group Discovery Communications.