Europe

Broadcast coverage for this year’s European Athletics Championships, which began earlier today (Wednesday) in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, has exceeded expectations, according to Svein Arne Hansen, president of the European Athletics governing body.

Irish pay-television broadcaster Eir Sport has acquired rights in the country to a host of World Rugby tournaments, including the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation has awarded its media rights for the five seasons from 2017-18 to 2021-22, with telecommunications company UPC and public-service broadcaster SRG SSR clinching contracts.

German media company ProSiebenSat.1 has formed a new umbrella body to manage its interests in the sports sector.

The British Rowing governing body has signed a partnership with digital media agency Engage Sports Media ahead of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

International pay-television broadcaster Eleven Sports Network has acquired rights in Taiwan for football’s English Premier League.

France Télévisions has renewed a deal for Globecast to provide media distribution services for the French public-service broadcaster’s coverage of cycling events.

French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus has renewed rights deals for a selection of top golf properties.

Russian sports media platform Match TV will provide coverage of the Rio 2016 summer Olympic Games on six channels, according to the sport.ru website.

Tour de France organiser Amaury Sport Organisation has said the 2016 edition of the cycling race will have new broadcast partners as it prepares to commence tomorrow (Saturday).

The Racing Partnership (TRP), a joint venture between UK racecourse owner and operator Arena Racing Company (ARC) and seven UK independent racecourses, has launched a new television channel to provide its content to licensed betting offices in the UK.

The Formula E electric car-racing championship has agreed content partnerships with digital streaming service ESPN Player and social media platforms Facebook and Snapchat for its final rounds of the 2015-16 season in London.

Swisscom has retained its rights to domestic club football’s Super League competition but has lost its contract with the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, according to the telecommunications company’s chief executive, Urs Schaeppi.

Lagardère Sports, the sports marketing division of conglomerate Lagardère, has appointed Robert Müller von Vultejus to head up its new Business Development Europe team

The Mediapro agency has today (Thursday) acquired the remaining two packages of LaLiga Spanish football domestic rights for the three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19.

Modern Times Group, the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster, has agreed a new multi-year carriage deal with Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor.