Europe

Russian state broadcaster VGTRK has said it will not televise the 2018 winter Olympic Games after the International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban Team Russia from next year’s event in Pyeongchang.

Lega Serie A, the organising body of the top division of Italian club football, will launch a new rights tender for its next set of domestic broadcast rights in January, according to multiple reports.

The English Football League, which operates the three divisions below the top-tier Premier League, has issued a Request for Proposals to potential partners as it seeks offers for its central broadcast production requirements.

UK-based online news and entertainment company Unilad has agreed a deal to stream live coverage of the 2017 Varsity Match rugby union series between the universities of Cambridge and Oxford in the UK.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky is set to agree a fresh deal for rights to US golf major the Masters, according to the Irish Times.

Spanish commercial broadcaster Mediaset has acquired exclusive rights to the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

The Saran Media agency has acquired rights in Turkey for the next two editions of the Fifa Club World Cup football competition.

UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has furthered its commitment to rugby league by acquiring rights to next year’s international series between England and New Zealand.

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has agreed a rights deal with the BAMMA mixed martial arts fight series.

Irish public-service broadcaster RTÉ has renewed a deal for rights to Ireland’s autumn international rugby union fixtures.

Belgian pay-television operator Telenet has said it will expand its Play Sports service to customers who do not have a television subscription with the company.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said he is confident that a rights deal will be struck for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in its host nation before the end of the year.

South African multi-platform media outlet Soccer Laduma has entered into a digital partnership with the Bundesliga, the top tier of club football in Germany.

The value of US Open media rights across Europe will increase by about 26 per cent in the next cycle following deals struck with Eurosport and Amazon last month.

Uefa has earned a significant increase in the value of its national team rights across Eastern Europe, justifying its decision to sell market-by-market in the region.

Rai, Mediaset and Sky were all expected to bid this week for a cut-price 2018 Fifa World Cup. The rights in Italy have plummeted in value since the national team failed to qualify for the tournament, losing a play-off to Sweden.