Europe

Altice has increased its stake in fellow French telecommunications company SFR to more than 95 per cent and plans to make an offer to buy out the remaining shares.

Polish pay-television operator NC Plus is set to launch a new channel designed to afford additional exposure for its sports rights portfolio.

German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF have agreed a sublicensing deal with media company Discovery Communications for live and highlights coverage of the Olympic Games through to 2024.

Multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group has renewed a rights deal in the Nordic region for the Kontinental Hockey League ice hockey club competition.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports and German sports broadcaster Sport1 have acquired rights to the Drone Champions League (DCL).

The Premier League, the top division of English club football, will remain steadfast in its refusal to broadcast games in the UK held at 3pm on Saturdays stating that its stance on the matter is a “solidarity issue.”

The International Cricket Council has hailed a major uplift in broadcast and digital performance for the recently completed 2017 Women’s World Cup, stating the figures justify its enhanced investment in the event.

The England & Wales Cricket Board has extended its rights deal with UK commercial broadcaster Channel 5, with the new contract set to afford the women’s national team free-to-air exposure for the first time.

Media company 21st Century Fox’s bid to take full control of European pay-television operator Sky has been met with further delays after the UK government requested media regulator Ofcom to undertake further analysis of its adherence to broadcasting standards.

Irish pay-television broadcaster Eir Sport has acquired rights for this year’s US PGA Championship golf tournament.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky has entered into exclusive talks with the English Football League, which operates the three divisions below the top-tier Premier League, over an extension of its rights deal, according to The Guardian.

Lega Serie A, the organising body of the top division of Italian club football, has launched its international media rights sales process for the three seasons spanning 2018-19 to 2020-21.

Greek pay-television broadcaster Cosmote TV has acquired rights to the Primeira Liga, the top division of club football in Portugal.

The Infront Sports & Media agency has reached an agreement to market the commercial rights to series organised by German motorsport body the ADAC.

The Premier League, the top division of English club football, would be open to offers for its next set of media rights from online operators such as Amazon and Facebook, according to chief executive Richard Scudamore.

Ceske Televize, the Czech Republic public-service broadcaster, has extended a rights deal for the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships.