Europe
MP & Silva to bring Pro League rights to market early next year
The MP & Silva agency will invite offers for domestic rights to Belgium’s top-tier Pro League in mid- to late-January 2017, TV Sports Markets understands.
Uefa gets rights increase from Digitalb in Albania and Kosovo
Uefa, European football’s governing body, last month secured a strong increase in the value of its national team media rights from telco Digitalb in Albania and Kosovo.
Expansion and star power drives Glory increase in Netherlands
The Glory kickboxing promotion has secured a huge increase in its latest deal in the Netherlands with Ziggo, leveraging stiff competition and a marquee fight between two Dutch stars to sign its most lucrative single deal to date.
MTG baulks at WTA asking price, opts for ATP instead in Denmark
Modern Times Group has opted for ATP World Tour rights instead of extending its coverage of the Women’s Tennis Association Tour, TV Sports Markets understands.
Commercial Sports Media to advise SM-Liiga on domestic deal
The Commercial Sports Media agency is confident it can grow the value of SM-Liiga domestic media rights despite a tricky local market. CSM was last week appointed as the top-tier Finnish ice hockey league’s adviser.
WRC happy to renew with Sport1 in Germany for small increase
The World Rally Championship last week earned a small increase from sports broadcaster Sport1 for its rights in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Uefa details Euro 2016 viewing figures
Uefa, the governing body of European football, has said that more than two billion people watched its Euro 2016 national team tournament live on television.
Watching Brief (Vol.137) Special Focus: FIA Formula One World Championship
Mike Kiernan reviews television audiences across the big five markets for the recently concluded Formula One World Championship
DOSB online channel in rights talks for men’s handball worlds
Sportdeutschland.tv, the online sports channel of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), is in talks over a rights deal in Germany for handball’s 2017 Men’s World Championship.
Sky and 21st Century Fox agree terms on takeover deal
US media company 21st Century Fox and Sky have today (Thursday) confirmed they have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended pre-conditional cash offer by the former for the fully diluted share capital of the pan-European pay-television broadcaster, which Fox and its affiliates do not already own.
BeIN Sports France on target for profitability, Al-Obaidly says
BeIN Sports France president Yousef Al-Obaidly has said the pay-television broadcaster is on course for profitability despite a report claiming it has posted a cumulative loss of more than €1bn ($1.072bn) since its launch in June 2012.
DAZN seeks to break German rights impasse for handball World Championship
DAZN, the OTT sports subscription service operated by digital media specialist Perform, has said it is in talks over a rights deal in Germany for handball’s 2017 Men’s World Championship.
Vivendi ups the ante in Mediaset battle
French media company Vivendi has upped the ante in its ongoing battle with Mediaset by stating it could acquire up to a fifth of the Italian broadcaster, leading to speculation over a hostile takeover bid.
ITV to set PPV first with Eubank title fight
ITV has acquired exclusive rights in the UK to the IBO World Super Middleweight boxing bout between Chris Eubank Jnr and Renold Quinlan on February 4, with the fight to be shown on the commercial broadcaster’s new pay-per-view channel.
LFP and Canal Plus reach agreement over coverage dispute
The French Football League (LFP) has reached an agreement with its rights-holder, pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus, over its coverage of the top two divisions of the domestic game.
Fox set to submit firm Sky bid on Wednesday
US media company 21st Century Fox is set to table a cash bid valuing pan-European pay-television broadcaster Sky, a major broadcaster of sports coverage, at £10.75 (€12.84/$13.64) per share as early as tomorrow (Wednesday), according to the Reuters news agency.
Uefa details revenue target as rights sales commence for club competitions
Uefa, football’s European governing body, is targeting media and marketing revenue of €3.2bn ($3.43bn) from its next cycle of rights to the Champions League as the tender process commences today (Tuesday).
Badminton’s Scottish Open extends with Lagardère Sports
Lagardère Sports, the sports marketing division of conglomerate Lagardère, has extended its host broadcast and rights distribution partnership with the Scottish Open Badminton Grand Prix.