Europe

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.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky has retained the majority of its rights with the England & Wales Cricket Board, as public-service broadcaster the BBC returned as a live broadcaster of the sport under new deals that will be worth £1.1bn (€1.25bn/$1.4bn) in total.

The Wimbledon Channel, the All England Club’s digital news channel dedicated to the Wimbledon Championships, will be available to view live on the Twitter social media website for the duration of the 2017 edition of the tennis grand slam

Dutch pay-television broadcaster Ziggo has retained rights to national team qualifiers marketed by European football’s governing body Uefa, while it has also secured rights to the new Nations League competition.

Fifa, football’s global governing body, has launched an invitation to tender in Greece for the rights to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

UK viewing audiences for the week between Monday 12th and Sunday 18th June. We also look at leading audiences in May on free-to-air television and on Eurosport. Watching Brief Vol. 162

Media company 21st Century Fox’s bid to take full control of European pay-television operator Sky is set to be referred to the UK competition regulator, it emerged today (Thursday).

Pay-television sports broadcaster ESPN Brasil has struck a three-season extension to its rights deal with the Premier League, the top division of English club football.

Mediaset president Fedele Confalonieri has confirmed that the media company will participate in the new sales process for domestic rights to Serie A, the top division of Italian football, when it is launched later this year.

Polish pay-television operator NC Plus has acquired rights for the Volleyball Champions League European club competition.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky is to rebrand its 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 sports channels with names that focus on specific sports, while it will also launch a new cheaper subscription package.

The Scottish Professional Football League has extended a rights deal with BBC Alba, the Gaelic-language channel operated by UK public-service broadcaster the BBC.

Swiss pay-television broadcaster Teleclub has acquired rights for the Uefa Champions League and Europa League European club football competitions.

German sports broadcaster Sport1 has acquired rights for the Star Sixes football legends tournament.