Europe

Spanish agency Mediapro has said it will form a dedicated football channel open to all “premium TV operators” in France after securing the lion’s share of rights to Ligue 1, the top tier of domestic club football.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel has secured a 60 per cent increase in value for the domestic rights to Ligue 1 through deals with Spanish agency Mediapro and pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports, with the agreements ending the status of pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus as the long-time home of the top-tier competition.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports has today (Tuesday) confirmed Portugal as its 10th market with the acquisition of rights to club football competitions the Uefa Champions League and Spain’s LaLiga.

LaLiga, the organising body of the top two divisions of Spanish club football, has launched a tender process for its domestic rights across the three seasons spanning 2019-20 to 2021-22.

Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore has said the top division of English club football is set to finalise its next set of domestic rights with the “imminent” sale of the final two packages available.

Belgian pay-television operator Telenet has signed an extension to its rights deal with the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The European Handball Federation has sealed a 10-year media and marketing agreement worth over €500m ($599m) with the Infront agency and digital sports content and media group Perform – a deal the organisation claims is a “watershed moment” for itself and the sport as a whole.

Lega Serie A, the governing body of the top division of Italian club football, has returned to the drawing table for its next set of domestic media rights after opting to terminate its contract with Spanish agency Mediapro.

Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG has secured rights to domestic club football competition the Schweizer Cup, along with matches played by the women’s national team, as part of a wide-ranging deal with the Swiss Football Association (SFV).

UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has agreed a deal to show live coverage of the Street League Skateboarding series this weekend.

Polish media company and telco Cyfrowy Polsat has acquired a controlling stake in sports broadcaster Eleven Sports' Polish operation.

Lega Serie A and its media-rights adviser Infront are on a collision course with the Mediapro agency, which was appointed intermediary for the league’s domestic live rights, after the Spanish agency failed to meet this week’s deadline to pay its guarantee. 

Euroleague Ventures – the joint venture between Euroleague Basketball and the IMG agency – has agreed a one-season extension to its deal with telco Telefónica in Spain and is close to a new deal in Germany.

Strong competition in Ireland has helped Uefa seal a big increase for its club competition rights, as commercial broadcaster TV3 fell just short in its attempt to acquire all the rights on offer.

Lagardère Sports last month secured coverage in Germany and Austria for the Kontinental Hockey League following years without a partner.

UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has agreed a deal to show the inaugural edition of the Power8 Sprints rowing event on July 22.