Europe
YuppTV signs wide-ranging IPL rights deal
OTT operator YuppTV has acquired exclusive digital and television rights in a host of markets to the 2018 season of Twenty20 cricket competition the Indian Premier League.
TV3 snaps up European Champions Cup rights
Irish commercial broadcaster TV3 has acquired rights for rugby union’s European Champions Cup, allowing viewers to watch free-to-air coverage of the competition for the first time since 2006.
ISB seals fresh European Games contract
Madrid-headquartered International Sports Broadcasting has officially retained its position as the host broadcaster of the European Games for next year’s edition of the multi-sport event in Minsk, adding rights distribution to its contract.
German Handball Federation extends with Lagardère Sports
The German Handball Federation (DHB) has struck a four-year extension to its partnership with the Lagardère Sports agency.
Italian watchdog approves Mediapro’s Serie A swoop
Italy’s antitrust authority, the AGCM, has approved a deal to award Spanish agency Mediapro the domestic rights for Lega Serie A, the country’s top football division.
Watching Brief (Vol.200) UK TV Audiences 26th February to 4th March
Russian broadcaster signs up for World Figure Skating Championships
Russian state-controlled commercial broadcaster Channel One has acquired rights to the forthcoming 2018 World Figure Skating Championships.
Sport 1 Plus picks up Brasileiro, Sky swoops for pre-season coverage
German pay-television sports broadcaster Sport 1 Plus has acquired rights for the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A football league in Brazil.
BBC and S+V make long-term commitment to badminton showpiece
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has signed a long-term deal to cover badminton showpiece the All England Open Championships, while sports producer and distributor Sunset+Vine has extended its production contract for the tournament.
Eleven retains Serie A rights in Poland
International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports has renewed an agreement for rights in Poland to Serie A, the top tier of club football in Italy.
RTL rolls on touring car commitment to WTCR
Dutch commercial broadcaster RTL has agreed a rights deal for the newly-formed World Touring Car Cup (WTCR).
BT Sport maintains commitment to National League
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has struck a three-season extension to its rights deal for the National League, the fifth tier of English club football.
BT Sport extends speedway deal, claims first with UCL broadcast
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has extended a rights deal with the British Speedway Promoters’ Association and also claimed a world-first with a trial broadcast of a Uefa Champions League football match in High Definition High Dynamic Range (HD HDR) direct to mobile.
Watching Brief (Vol.199) UK TV Audiences 19th to 25th February
Sportradar seeks to take Montreux Volley Masters to next level
Women’s volleyball showpiece the Montreux Volley Masters has extended and expanded its partnership with sports and betting-related services company Sportradar.
WWE signs Spanish rights deal
Spanish free-to-air sports channel Gol has signed a rights partnership with US wrestling organisation WWE.
SIC extends Europa League deal in Portugal
Portuguese commercial broadcaster SIC has extended its rights agreement for the Uefa Europa League club football competition.
WTCR secures Belgian rights partner
French-language public-service broadcaster RTBF has acquired highlights rights in Belgium to the newly-formed World Touring Car Cup (WTCR).