Europe

Mediaset vice-president Pier Silvio Berlusconi has said the Italian broadcaster would be interested in a partnership with pay-television rival Sky Italia for the final season of its Uefa Champions League rights deal, adding that a pay-per-view service will be launched for the club football competition as the company assesses its future direction.

German media companies Axel Springer and Constantin Medien have entered into exclusive talks over the former’s acquisition of sports broadcaster Sport1, according to multiple reports.

Fifa wants Russia to pay more than double what the country is willing to spend on broadcast rights for football’s 2018 World Cup in the country, according to Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko.

Eleven Sports will continue to show live and exclusive F1 coverage in Poland for the 2018 and 2019 seasons after signing a new two-year deal.

Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has allocated rights to the Süper Lig, the top division of club football in Turkey, to its own pay-television channel in France

German pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland has launched a new digital platform that will have an emphasis on “high-quality” video content.

The English Football League, which operates the three divisions below the top-tier Premier League, will significantly increase the number of live games available through its new domestic broadcast rights tender, according to The Times.

Sports and betting-related services company Sportradar has signed up its latest partner for its new over-the-top product by agreeing a multi-year deal with Italian DTT sports broadcaster Sportitalia.

Dutch pay-television operator Ziggo has said it is considering its options after losing a court case concerning the carriage of channels operated by pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports Netherlands.

Pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has secured exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland to European club rugby union’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions after agreeing a fresh four-season contract.

Swiss telecommunications group Swisscom has extended and expanded its long-term carriage agreement with the Discovery Networks Deutschland division of international media and entertainment company Discovery Communications.

The English Football League, which operates the three divisions below the top-tier Premier League, has issued an invitation to tender for its domestic live broadcast rights.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has agreed a four-year extension to its rights deal for the Tour de France under an agreement that also includes the other leading cycling events organised by Amaury Sport Organisation.

UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has extended a rights deal for the International Eastbourne Event, an annual grass-court tennis tournament that is staged in the lead-up to the Wimbledon Championships.

Polish pay-television operator NC Plus has acquired rights to motorsport series the World Rally Championship.