Europe
ARD signs off on Tour de France rights extension
German public-service broadcaster ARD has confirmed a two-year extension to its rights deal for cycling race the Tour de France.
Movistar set for exclusive MotoGP coverage in Spain
Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica is set to retain exclusive rights for the 2017 season of the MotoGP motorcycling championship in its home country after no free-to-air broadcasters stepped forward to agree a sublicensing deal.
BT keen to renew Champions League rights
BT Consumer chief executive John Petter has indicated that the UK telecommunications company is keen to renew domestic media rights for football’s Uefa Champions League.
Twitter teams up with Sky for transfer deadline day
Social media platform Twitter has partnered with Sky to enhance the UK pay-television broadcaster’s coverage of football’s transfer deadline day.
DAZN smashes Davis Cup, Fed Cup rights
DAZN, the OTT sports subscription service operated by digital media specialist Perform, has acquired rights for the Davis Cup and Fed Cup men’s and women’s tennis tournaments.
SRG nets Uefa rights package
Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG has acquired a host of rights to national team football properties held by European governing body Uefa.
Sky slams Discovery’s ‘misleading’ and ‘aggressive’ actions
Pan-European pay-television broadcast group Sky has fired the latest shot in its battle with Discovery Communications, the parent company of international sports broadcaster Eurosport, by criticising its approach to negotiations over a carriage deal, adding that the US company is seeking close to £1bn (€1.16bn/$1.25bn) for an agreement.
ECB eyeing summer window for rights talks – report
The England and Wales Cricket Board intends to launch a tender process for its whole portfolio of broadcast rights, including a new domestic Twenty20 tournament, this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
Fight Channel launches in Romania
The Fight Channel Group has agreed a carriage deal for its Fight Channel World HD pay-television channel with new Romanian OTT platform Streamark.
Regulator deals blow to Serie A rights process
Italy’s antitrust authority, the AGCM, has rejected the guidelines outlined by Lega Serie A for the centralised selling of the next package of rights to the top division of domestic football and other competitions, stating they are too “vague” in their definitions of the process.
Infront Germany reveals new corporate structure
The Infront Sports & Media agency has unveiled a new leadership and corporate structure for its Infront Germany division.
At The Races to broadcast Pegasus World Cup
Pay-television channel At The Races has acquired live and exclusive rights in the UK to the inaugural edition of the Pegasus World Cup horse-racing event.
Watching Brief (Vol.140) UK Television Audiences Monday 9th to Sunday 15th January 2017
UK viewing audiences for the week between Monday 9th January and Sunday 15th January.
Watching Brief Vol. 140
Cost of Premier League rights hit Sky’s operating profit
Pan-European pay-television broadcast group Sky has reported a nine per cent fall in first-half operating profit, admitting that it has been hampered by the rise in costs of UK rights to club football competition the English Premier League.
BBC retains Rugby League World Cup rights
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has secured rights to the 2021 Rugby League World Cup national team tournament.
Discovery threaten to pull channels off Sky platforms in carriage dispute
Discovery Communications, the parent company of international sports broadcaster Eurosport, has threatened to pull its channels from pay-television broadcaster Sky’s platforms in the UK and Germany due to a carriage dispute.
ITV, Sky seal Uefa rights deal
UK commercial broadcaster ITV and pay-television operator Sky have acquired the latest package of football rights for the England national team offered by European governing body Uefa.
DFB secures rights deals for women’s football, 3. Liga
The German Football Association (DFB) has agreed deals with public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF, along with telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom, for rights to the German women’s national team, the Women’s Bundesliga and the men’s 3. Liga.