Europe
BT Sport to show sprint rowing event debut
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has agreed a deal to show the inaugural edition of the Power8 Sprints rowing event on July 22.
Virgin TV to offer 4K coverage of Champions League final
Pay-television platform Virgin TV will offer live coverage of this Saturday’s Uefa Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in 4K ultra-high definition.
Elliott held talks with Mediapro over Serie A rights
US hedge fund Elliott Management recently held talks with Mediapro about supporting the Spanish agency’s investment in media rights for Serie A, the top division of football in Italy, according to the Bloomberg news agency.
Watching Brief (Vol.210) UK TV Audiences 7th to 13th May
Sunset+Vine renews BT Sport production deal
Production company Sunset+Vine has secured a new four-year deal with UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport, extending a partnership that began in 2013.
Sport1 scoops up Volleyball Nations League rights
German sports broadcaster Sport1 has acquired rights for the new Volleyball Nations League.
Racing powerhouses team up to back new media company
Horse racing powerhouses Victoria Racing Club, Ascot and Goodwood Racecourses and the Breeders’ Cup have signed up as founding partners of a new media company that has launched today (Tuesday) and is designed to drive exposure for the sport across digital platforms.
Eurosport to launch 4K channel for French Open
International sports broadcaster Eurosport will launch a dedicated 4K ultra-HD channel for its coverage of this year’s French Open tennis tournament.
Culture Secretary unlikely to refer Comcast’s Sky bid
UK Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has said that he is unlikely to call for an investigation into Comcast’s bid to gazump rival media company 21st Century Fox’s takeover bid for Sky, a major sports broadcaster in Europe.
Proximus makes wide-ranging commitment to esports in Belgium
Belgian pay-television broadcaster Proximus has unveiled a major commitment to esports in the country through a three-pronged strategy incorporating media rights, the formation of new competitions and sponsorship.
Mediapro claims first as Brasileirao heads to YouTube
The Mediapro agency has struck a deal with internet company Google that will grant video-sharing platform YouTube rights to Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, the top division of Brazilian football, across 27 markets in Europe, Asia and Oceania.
Veronica extends Champions League rights
Dutch commercial broadcaster Veronica has extended a deal for free-to-air rights for football’s Uefa Champions League.
DAZN lands World Cup rights in Germany
DAZN, the OTT service operated by digital sports media company Perform, has acquired a rights package in Germany to the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
Manchester United finishes top of Premier League payment table
Manchester United received the greatest share of revenue from the English Premier League for the 2017-18 season, despite finishing as runner-up to rival Manchester City, it has been revealed.
Watching Brief (Vol.209) UK TV Audiences 30th April to 6th May
Channel 4 adds to rugby portfolio with Wales games
UK commercial broadcaster Channel 4 has bolstered its rugby union coverage by acquiring live rights to Wales’ three summer Test matches.
Bayern creates Digital & Media Lab, partners with ESPN
German Bundesliga football club Bayern Munich has formed a digital and media subsidiary in an effort to further expand its “pioneering” work in these areas, while it has also signed a content partnership with US sports broadcaster ESPN.
Sport1 retains rights to Uefa tournaments
German sports broadcaster Sport1 has renewed rights agreements for the Uefa Youth League and the Uefa Women’s Champions League club football tournaments.