Europe
EHF reduces rights shortlist to four candidates
The European Handball Federation has reduced the shortlist of bidders for the audio-visual and marketing rights to its raft of competitions to four candidates.
Leagues excluded from EU copyright reform
Football leagues will be excluded from a copyright reform that is being designed to make media content more easily accessible across national borders in the European Union.
Vipnet lands Champions League rights in Croatia
Croatian telecommunications company Vipnet has acquired domestic rights to the Uefa Champions League club football competition.
Rai seals Discovery deal for Pyeongchang 2018 rights
Italian public-service broadcaster Rai has agreed a sublicensing deal with media company Discovery Communications for rights to the 2018 winter Olympic Games.
UK Sport, BBC in live-streaming initiative
UK Sport, the body that oversees the investment of public and National Lottery money into British Olympic and Paralympic sport, has signed a live-streaming partnership with UK public-service broadcaster the BBC.
Facebook, Amazon talk to LFP about Ligue 1 rights
The Ligue de Football Professionnel, which operates the French football league, has held talks with Facebook and Amazon over its next cycle of media rights, according to the organisation’s director general, Didier Quillot.
Sportkanalen expands reach in Sweden
Sportkanalen, the new sports channel that has been launched by Swedish pay-television broadcaster C More, has struck a carriage deal with the Com Hem and Boxer pay-television platforms.
BT, Sky agree to cross-supply of channels
Rival UK pay-television operators BT and Sky have sealed a landmark multi-year deal to make channels available on each other’s platforms.
Rai strikes deal with Discovery for Olympic Games rights in Italy
Italian public-service broadcaster Rai is understood to be close to a sublicensing deal with Discovery Communications to acquire rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games.
Mediaset beats free-to-air rivals as World Cup value falls in Spain
Spanish commercial broadcaster Mediaset acquired all rights to the 2018 Fifa World Cup in a deal worth at least 15 per cent less than Fifa earned for 2014.
Ski Classics secures rights partners in France, UK and Mena
The Ski Classics series of long-distance skiing events has agreed new broadcast deals in France, the UK and the Middle East and North Africa region for the remainder of its 2017-18 season.
Uefa club competitions to move fully to pay-television in Greece
The value of Uefa Champions League and Europa League rights in Greece is set to fall in its new cycle despite rights being sold exclusively to pay-television broadcaster Cosmote last week.
TF1 buys 2019 World Cup rights after solving scheduling troubles
French commercial broadcaster TF1 has acquired rights to the 2019 Rugby World Cup after taking up an option in its deal for the 2015 tournament, TV Sports Markets understands.
RTÉ forced to pay IRFU increase after loss of Six Nations rights
The Irish Rugby Football Union roughly doubled the value of domestic rights to Ireland autumn internationals in a deal with public-service broadcaster RTÉ, and is still to sell rights in the UK.
MP & Silva sells football package to new Ukrainian player Megogo
Video-on-demand service Megogo has made its first move into the Ukrainian sports-rights market with the acquisition of exclusive rights to three top European football leagues.
Sky extends PDC rights deal
UK pay-television broadcaster Sky has sealed a new seven-year rights deal with the Professional Darts Corporation.
European Parliament backs geoblocking – but not for sport
The European Parliament has voted to abolish geoblocking for news and current affairs in a move that will allow other content to remain blocked in other European Union countries.