Europe
Speedway GP maintains UK income despite lack of competition in BT renewal
The value of FIM Speedway World Championship rights in the UK held up in a new three-year deal, from 2019 to 2021, despite incumbent rights-holder BT Sport facing no serious competition.
France’s TF1 sought 40% of RWC outlay in failed sublicense push
French commercial broadcaster TF1 was expecting to recoup 40 per cent of its outlay on the 2019 Rugby World Cup from its ill-fated attempt to find a sublicensee, SportBusiness Media understands.
C More extends HockeyAllsvenskan domestic rights deal
Pay-television broadcaster C More has agreed a five-season extension with the HockeyAllsvenskan, Swedish ice hockey’s second-tier, for domestic rights to the league, running until 2025-26.
Telecinco acquires rights to Spanish Copa de la Reina final
Spanish commercial broadcaster Telecinco has acquired rights to the final of this year’s Copa de la Reina women’s football competition between Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Sky Deutschland solidifies golf dominance in DACH with PGA, Open deals
Pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland has raised its annual outlay on two of golf’s majors, the PGA Championship and Open Championship, by almost half to secure its dominance over the sport in the DACH region against the threat of US media group Discovery.
Government pressure drives France Télévisions’s Olympics sublicensing deal
The French government strongly encouraged public-service broadcaster France Télévisions to reach an Olympics sublicensing deal with US media group Discovery for the 2022 to 2024 cycle to ensure the widest access to the Paris 2024 games, SportBusiness Media understands.
IMG to exploit ICC football rights in Scandinavia on its Strive service
The IMG agency has said its Strive Sport service will broadcast the 2019 edition of club football competition the International Champions Cup across Scandinavia
IMG-Serie A legal battle would place league’s Italian-language rights strategy under microscope
In rejecting IMG’s damages claim for nearly €60m ($67.2m) in April, Lega Serie A has presented the agency with a dilemma. Taking the league to court could be expensive with no guarantee of success. And there are issues of reputation and positioning in the market.
BBC agrees Women’s FA Cup, Solheim Cup deals
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has extended its deal with the English Football Association for the Women’s FA Cup and has also reached an agreement for highlights to this year’s edition of golf’s Solhe…
Danish Superliga issues new domestic football tender
Divisionsforeningen, the body that acts on behalf of both Denmark's football clubs and the country's football federation, the Dansk Boldspil-Union, issued a tender on Wednesday for the domestic rights…
BT Sport extends MLB rights, BBC to show London Series
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has renewed its deal for Major League Baseball rights until the end of 2021, while public-service broadcaster the BBC has acquired rights to MLB's upcoming London …
Spanish football federation told to modify Copa del Rey tender
Spain’s competition regulator, the CNMC, has urged the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to rethink its tender process for the final of this year’s Copa del Rey club competition.
Telco Telekom Srbija to take over NBA rights in the Balkans
Telco Telekom Srbija, majority owner of the Arena Sport channels, has acquired NBA rights in the Balkans from the 2019-20 season, according to local media reports
SuperTennis to broadcast ATP Finals in Turin from 2021
Tennis channel SuperTennis will be the domestic broadcaster of the ATP World Tour Finals in Italy for the five years from 2021, according to Federazione Italiana Tennis (FIT) president Angelo Binaghi
Lagardère renews VTB United basketball international rights
The Lagardère Sports agency has renewed its international media-rights deal with the VTB United League pan-European club basketball competition.
DAZN Spain signs deal for app carriage on Huawei phones
OTT platform DAZN has signed a carriage agreement in Spain with Chinese telco Huawei
AMC lands AFCON 2019 rights in Czech Republic
US entertainment company AMC Networks' central Europe division has acquired rights in the Czech Republic to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations national team football tournament
Legal battle looks inevitable as Lega Serie A rejects IMG’s damages claim
Italy’s top football league, Lega Serie A, has written to IMG rejecting the claim for damages relating to the agency’s contract for the league’s global media rights, SportBusiness Media has learned.
O