Europe
Features
F1 sees massive fee hike in Germany in shift behind Sky paywall
After several cycles of decline, the value of Formula One rights in Germany has more than doubled in pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland’s exclusive deal for the 2021-24 cycle.
Tough market weighs on DFL domestic rights income
The German Football League (DFL) faced an absence of new bidders, a change in strategy from incumbent Sky Deutschland and an unstable economy as it went to market with its 2021-25 domestic rights. The tough conditions left experts to conclude the league had done well to avoid a larger income drop for the cycle.
Extreme E earns robust fee in Dutch deal with RTL
Extreme E, the electric SUV off-road racing series, has secured a strong media-rights fee in addition to substantial free-to-air exposure in its deal with commercial broadcaster RTL in the Netherlands.
BT’s short-term Turkish Süper Lig deal is taster for longer-term contract
UK telco BT’s acquisition of Turkish Süper Lig rights for the remainder of the 2019-20 season is a ‘toe-in-the-water’ ahead of a potential longer-term agreement, SportBusiness Media understands.
Megogo’s NBA deal is prelude to sport-rights push in Russia
International OTT streaming service Megogo is set to target more sports media rights in Russia, following its NBA deal earlier this month.
FIG looks to recover lost gymnastics exposure in EBU deal
The International Gymnastic Federation’s (FIG) rekindling of its relationship with the European Broadcasting Union after a 20-year break was given impetus by the federation’s recent difficulties with exposure.
Sky Italia pays small increase to renew exclusive F1 rights for two more seasons
Italian pay-television operator Sky Italia has extended its deal for exclusive rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship. The deal was agreed with Formula One Management, the Formula One Group subsidiary that handles the commercial rights to the series.
DFL’s short-term Amazon, DAZN deals seen as ‘strategic’ ahead of domestic tender
The German Football League’s (DFL) short-term Bundesliga deals with Amazon and DAZN are strategic moves ahead of this month’s domestic rights tender, industry experts have told SportBusiness Media.
OTT challenge to Sky’s Serie A dominance unlikely despite court upholding internet ban
The ruling this month from Italy’s highest administrative court, which brought an end to the legal battle over Sky Italia’s ability to acquire exclusive internet rights, was ostensibly good news for OTT operators. It prevents Italy’s dominant ‘legacy’ pay-television operator from buying these rights, at least until 2022.
ORF puts longer-term Austrian Bundesliga ambitions on hold to secure short-term deal
Austrian public-service broadcaster ORF put longer-term ambitions for the domestic Bundesliga on hold to agree a short-term sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster Sky.
LaLiga begins European rights sales with revenue gains in Nordics, Balkans
LaLiga has started its European sales round strongly, gaining impressive fee increases from both the Nordic and Balkan regions in the first deals since the lifting of the three-season limit.
DFB-Pokal still in limbo in France despite L’Équipe rights deal
L’Équipe TV’s deal for French rights to the German DFB-Pokal covered just the climax of the 2019-2020 club knock-out competition, SportBusiness Media understands, meaning the property is still without a stable broadcast relationship in the country.
Rivals dent Nent’s Nordic dominance in big money Uefa club deals
Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group’s rivals paid big fees to seal crucial Uefa club competition rights, allowing European football’s governing body to more than double its media-rights income in the Nordics.
Ziggo buys back into top tennis in the Netherlands with ATP play
Dutch telco Ziggo has landed exclusive multi-platform rights in the Netherlands to the ATP men’s tennis tour, SportBusiness Media understands.
Match TV fends off new entrants to retain Uefa club rights in Russia
Incumbent Match TV overcame pressure from Russian internet players to retain rights to Uefa’s club competition for the 2021-24 cycle, albeit at a steep increase on its current outlay, SportBusiness Media understands.
Servus’s waiver of Austrian Eishockey Liga option opens door to Puls 4
Servus TV’s decision not to take up the option to extend its Austrian Eishockey Liga domestic free-to-air rights into next season allowed Puls 4 to take its place.
Removal of rights-cycle cap poses difficult questions for LaLiga
The end of the three-season maximum for LaLiga rights sales in the EU grants the rights-holder greater freedom but also some difficult decisions to make, experts have told SportBusiness Media.
Extreme E negotiates one-year break clause in BBC rights deal
Extreme E, the electric SUV off-road racing series, has secured a one-year break clause in a two-year media-rights deal in the UK with public broadcaster the BBC, SportBusiness Media understands.
Lack of competitive bids benefits Movistar in Uefa club rights sale in Spain
Spanish telco Telefónica, which owns Movistar, has capitalised on a lack of competitive bids to acquire Uefa’s club rights in the 2021-24 cycle.
Bundesliga seals revised domestic deals, secures clubs finances if league resumes
The German Football League (DFL) has renegotiated deals with six of its seven domestic media-rights holders, which will secure payments – and thus cashflow for German clubs – in the next month. Discovery is the only broadcaster yet to reach an agreement.
WWE holds back PPV rights in Germany to promote OTT
WWE will broadcast its pay-per-view events in Germany exclusively on its OTT platform, WWE Network, in the 2020-23 rights cycle.
Uefa sees sharp fee hike from club competitions in Balkans on strong interest
Uefa has more than doubled the value of its club competition media rights across five Balkan countries, awarding almost all rights to aggressive bidder Telekom Srbija, as the telco’s battle with rival United Media intensified.
Six Nations pauses media-rights sales in face of Covid-19 pandemic
Six Nations Rugby, the organising body of the annual national team tournament, has paused the sales process for the next cycle of domestic and international rights to the Six Nations and Autumn Internationals due to the widespread uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
French Swimming Federation carves out FTA rights in beIN renewal
The French Swimming Federation (FFN) has carved out domestic free-to-air rights for 2020 and 2021 in a departure from the previous cycle. But the Covid-19 pandemic has introduced significant uncertainty over how the rights-holder’s new broadcasting contracts will operate.